Surf Forecasts:
Ixtapa surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, SSW swell with 657 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s period with SSW 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 Tuesday (Aug 18) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ixtapa in the next 16 days are 1.2m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ixtapa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming our way for Ixtapa over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a solid run of clean, surfable mornings. The pattern kicks off Tuesday morning, August 18th, with a 4ft SSW swell rolling in at a long 14 seconds. The wind is dead calm, glassy as it gets, and the water temp is sitting about average for this time of year. That’s a proper window to get out there. The energy is moderate (594), and it’s a beginner-friendly spot, so it’s a great time for anyone looking to get waves without the crowd stress. The swell direction is a perfect match for the break.
Wednesday morning, August 19th, picks up where Tuesday left off – 3ft SSW swell, 15-second period, glassy conditions, and that same clean feel. The energy is still solid (516). The afternoons go cross-onshore and messy, so the mornings are where it’s at.
We’ve got a long stretch of similar mornings through to Saturday, August 22nd, with waist-high swell (3ft to 3ft), glassy winds, and decent energy (346 to 548). It’s not giant, but it’s clean and fun. Sunday morning, August 23rd, sees a bump in period to 18 seconds with a 2ft SW swell, giving it that long, peeling groundswell feel. Energy is up (699), and it’s glassy. This is a standout moment for the week – that long period at Ixtapa will draw lines through the water, and the point break setup here will love it.
After that, there’s a bit of a lull. Monday the 24th turns rainy and choppy. Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th are back to clean mornings but smaller – 2ft to 2ft swells, still with good period (16 seconds). Energy drops a bit (335 to 378), but the glassy mornings keep it rideable.
The real standout comes later. Mark your calendars for Friday morning, August 28th: a 4ft SSW swell, 16-second period, glassy, and the energy jumps to 797. That’s a solid session. But the best on offer is Saturday morning, August 29th – 6ft SSW swell, 16-second period, glassy glassy conditions, and energy soaring to 1483. This is proper groundswell, and it’s pushing into the 5ft+ range, so it’s more for the experienced crew. Beginners might want to sit this one out. The swell direction is spot-on for Ixtapa, and the wind is off the land. This is a big day.
Sunday morning, August 30th, is still pumping with a 5ft SSW swell, 15-second period, and clean offshore wind (1263 energy). Again, it’s a bigger, more powerful day – best for those who know what they’re doing.
The first week of September sees a gradual drop-off. Monday September 1st morning is still clean with a 4ft SSW swell, and Wednesday September 2nd has a nice 3ft SSW swell with a 16-second period and glassy conditions (833 energy). That’s a nice little tail end to the run.
Overall, the mornings are your golden ticket here. The afternoons get chopped up by cross-onshore wind, so don’t sleep in. The water temperature is about what you’d expect for this time of year, no surprises. Crowds are possible at Ixtapa, but with the consistent quality of these morning windows, it’s worth the paddle out.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 35mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 31°C on Tue afternoon, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 30°C on Fri morning, min 27°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 17 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
291 | 561 | 592 | 649 | 443 | 362 | 347 | 229 | 222 | 212 | 225 | 211 | 268 | 282 | 290 | 290 | 327 | 352 | 327 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 8:08AM0.71m | 7:21PM0.49m | 8:34AM0.75m | 7:42PM0.50m | 8:59AM0.77m | 7:58PM0.50m | 9:23AM0.76m | 8:06PM0.50m | 9:44AM0.75m | 8:08PM0.52m | 10:03AM0.72m | 8:08PM0.54m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 3:37PM0.37m | 2:42AM0.04m | 3:43PM0.40m | 2:58AM0.04m | ||||||
— | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:08 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 29 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 8 |
Temp °C | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 |
Feels °C | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 31 | 33 | 32 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 34 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 14 | S 9 | SSW 13 |
261 | 561 | 592 | 649 | 443 | 362 | 347 | 229 | 222 | 117 | 122 | 146 | 177 | 167 | 161 | 163 | 286 | 159 | 242 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 8 | SSW 14 | S 10 |
291 | 31 | 43 | 54 | 67 | 67 | 64 | 113 | 81 | 212 | 225 | 211 | 268 | 282 | 290 | 290 | 86 | 352 | 135 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 4 | W 9 | W 4 | W 4 | W 5 | SW 19 | W 5 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
17 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 91 | 2 | 60 | 80 | 99 | 96 | 186 | 327 | 258 | 327 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WNW 3 | — | WSW 4 | — | — | WNW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | W 4 |
— | — | — | 3 | — | 6 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 7 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 509 | 0 | 0 | 686 | 0 | 0 | 129 | 0 | 0 | 686 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 506 | 21 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Guerrero | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Mexico | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.











