Surf Forecasts:
Ixtapa surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period, SSW swell with 822 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 15s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ixtapa this week:
The surf forecast for Ixtapa over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ixtapa in the next 16 days are 1.3m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ixtapa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening at Ixtapa over the next couple of weeks.
It’s a mixed bag of a forecast, honestly. We’ve got some fun swell running, but the wind is going to be a real player in the game. The water is sitting at a warm 88°, which is a touch warmer than normal, so you’ll be comfortable in boardies or a spring suit.
The first standout session is shaping up for Monday the 17th in the morning. We’re looking at a clean 4ft swell from the SW with a period of 14 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell with some good energy (648). The real winner here is the glassy conditions, with a light N wind. It’s a beginner-friendly wave at that size, and the water will be smooth. It’s a perfect window for a long session.
The pattern then gets a bit choppy through the week, but keep your eyes on Tuesday the 28th in the morning. This is a long-range promise, but it looks like a cracker. We’ve got a 4ft SSW swell, but the period jumps to 17 seconds, pushing the wave energy up to 834. That’s a solid, powerful groundswell. With a light E wind, it’ll be clean. The sets will be a bit more lined up and offer good shape, though the long period might make it a bit tricky at the beach break – it’ll be more fun if you can find a peak that handles the extra push.
Later that afternoon, the swell bumps up to 5ft and the period hits 18 seconds, with energy way up at 1246, but the wind turns onshore, so that session is a write-off.
The final big call is Saturday the 29th in the morning. The swell is 5ft from the SW with a 16-second period, and energy is pumping at 1114. The wind is glassy, coming from the NNE. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers – that size is a step up from the beginner zone. The waves will have plenty of power. It’s a promising one, but it’s two weeks out, so keep an eye on the charts.
Between the 17th and the 28th, there are a few clean mornings with smaller swell (2ft to 4ft) that’ll be okay for a cruise on a foamie or a longboard, especially on the 19th, 20th, 21st, and 24th mornings when it’s glassy. The afternoons generally get chopped up by the sea breeze.
The biggest gap is really a lack of *standout* sessions, but there are plenty of rideable waves in the mornings. It’s not a complete blank, just a forecast that requires you to pick your moments.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sun night. Warm (max 31°C on Sat afternoon, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 61mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 31°C on Tue afternoon, min 23°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 17 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 10 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1101 | 784 | 685 | 676 | 597 | 606 | 693 | 291 | 561 | 592 | 649 | 482 | 431 | 342 | 229 | 222 | 196 | 186 | 180 | 272 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:35PM0.47m | 7:30AM0.54m | 6:20PM0.47m | 7:43AM0.64m | 6:54PM0.48m | 8:08AM0.71m | 7:21PM0.49m | 8:34AM0.75m | 7:42PM0.50m | 8:59AM0.77m | 7:58PM0.50m | 9:23AM0.76m | 8:06PM0.50m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:19AM0.37m | 1:41PM0.41m | 00:31AM0.29m | 2:11PM0.37m | 00:56AM0.21m | 2:37PM0.35m | 1:21AM0.15m | 2:58PM0.33m | 1:44AM0.11m | 3:16PM0.34m | 2:05AM0.07m | 3:29PM0.35m | 2:24AM0.05m | |||||||
— | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
7:12 | — | — | 7:12 | — | — | 7:10 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:08 | — | — | 7:07 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 |
Temp °C | 31 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
Feels °C | 34 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 10 |
1101 | 784 | 685 | 676 | 597 | 606 | 693 | 261 | 561 | 592 | 649 | 482 | 431 | 342 | 229 | 222 | 196 | 144 | 168 | 179 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 11 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SW 17 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 |
49 | 32 | 34 | 10 | 34 | 22 | 19 | 291 | 57 | 56 | 42 | 50 | 34 | 85 | 83 | 66 | 172 | 186 | 180 | 272 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SSW 9 | S 13 | SE 7 | W 4 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 8 | W 11 | W 10 | WSW 4 | W 4 | S 10 | SW 21 | SSW 18 | SE 9 | SW 19 | W 3 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
11 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 30 | 67 | 31 | 20 | 91 | 1 | 79 | 111 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 9 | — | SSW 8 | — | W 4 | W 4 | — | — | WSW 3 | — | — | WSW 4 | — | — | W 4 | WNW 3 | — | — | — |
— | 8 | — | 59 | — | 10 | 6 | — | — | 3 | — | — | 3 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 530 | 0 | 4 | 195 | 0 | 0 | 657 | 0 | 0 | 509 | 0 | 0 | 537 | 0 | 0 | 530 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Guerrero | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Mexico | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Ixtapa Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ixtapa provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ixtapa can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ixtapa surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Ixtapa) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Ixtapa may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Ixtapa is 7 km (4 miles) from Zihuatanejo. If you plan a holiday in Guerrero, look for hotels and other accommodation in Zihuatanejo. Zihuatanejo has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











