Ixtapa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let's talk about what's shaping up for Ixtapa.

Overall, we’ve got a solid run of surf coming through, with the real standouts happening later on. The early part of the forecast is all about small, clean waves that are perfect for getting your log out, but the energy really builds as we head towards the end of the month and into September. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no need for a thick suit.

The action kicks off on Saturday morning, August 22nd. We’re looking at a clean 3ft SSW swell with a decent 14-second period. The wind is a light cross-off from the North, so the surface will be tidy. The combined energy is 555, which is moderate but it’s a fun, user-friendly size. This is a good session for beginners, but don’t expect anything too powerful.

Sunday morning, August 23rd, is a real treat. The swell drops a touch to 2ft from the SW, but the period jumps to 18 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The wind goes glassy, and the energy reading is 767. It’s going to be clean as a whistle, but with that long period, the waves might be a bit straight at the beach. Still, a beautiful morning to be out.

We get another clean one on Monday morning, August 24th. A 2ft SW swell with a 17-second period and offshore wind from the North. The energy is 562. It’s small but perfect.

There’s a quiet patch in the afternoons with onshore wind, but the mornings keep delivering. Tuesday, August 25th, sees a smaller 2ft SW swell with 16 seconds, light cross-off wind and 324 energy – still a clean little wave for a quick session.

Wednesday morning, August 26th, is another glassy one. 2ft SW swell at 16 seconds, energy 375. Lovely conditions for a small wave board.

Thursday morning, August 27th, is the pick of the first week. Glassy wind again, with a 2ft SW swell and the period stretching back out to 18 seconds. The energy is 587. This will feel fuller and more lined up than the days before. It’s a standout morning.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The best surf of the entire forecast is Friday, August 28th through that weekend. Friday morning, the swell jumps to 4ft from the SSW with a 17-second period and light cross-off wind. The energy surges to 1102. This is solid, powerful stuff. This is for experienced surfers only – it's getting into that expert territory.

Saturday, August 29th, is even bigger and still clean. A 6ft SW swell, 16 seconds, cross-off wind, and energy at 1586. This is a big, powerful groundswell. It might be too much for the average guy and the beach breaks could be closing out. For an expert, this is the session of the run.

Sunday, August 30th, drops a fraction to 5ft SW swell, still a clean morning with 1031 energy. A slightly more manageable size but still a meaty wave for those who know what they’re doing.

As we move into the second week, the conditions remain promising but a little less certain. Monday, September 1st, has a glassy morning with 4ft SSW swell and 792 energy. Tuesday, September 2nd, is glassy again with a 3ft SW swell and 848 energy. The trend of clean mornings continues.

Then we hit another big spike. Thursday, September 3rd, is a standout. A 3ft SW swell with 16 seconds, glassy cross-off wind and energy of 1133. It’s clean and punchy.

But if you have to pick one day of the whole 16 days, make it Friday, September 4th. That morning is the absolute gem. It’s glassy, with a 6ft SSW swell, a 17-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 3004. This is the biggest, most powerful, and cleanest window we’ve got. It is a serious swell for experts only. The power is extreme. The paddle out could be tough between sets, but the payoff for the right surfer will be incredible.

Saturday, September 5th, still has plenty of power at 5ft SW swell, glassy, with 2454 energy.

Overall, this is a fantastic 16-day forecast for Ixtapa. The mornings are the key. Don't even bother with the afternoons. It’s a quiet, clean start, then it builds into a proper run of strong, long-period groundswell. The biggest danger here is the size and power later on – respect it, or it’ll humble you.

Rusty.

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