
Surf Forecasts:
Zicatela surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, SW swell with 719 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 14 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 13s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Zicatela this week:
The surf forecast for Zicatela over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Zicatela in the next 16 days are 1.2m 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Tue 14th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Zicatela over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty comin' at ya from the coast. Let's get into it.
The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, but we've got some real moments to look forward to. The early part of the week is pretty mellow, but don't let that fool you; there's some serious energy building for the end of the run.
We kick off on Monday the 13th with small, clean lines. The water is sitting at 87°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so it's a nice bonus. The first real standout, though, is shaping up for Saturday the 18th. The morning at Zicatela is looking like a dream: glassy conditions, a modest 2 ft swell from the SW, but with a very long period of 18 seconds. That's proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is moderate (514). This is a classic setup for a point or reef, and with the wind off the land, it's going to be smooth and lined up. For a flash, the crowds are a possibility, but the quality should be worth it.
The next pure highlight is Sunday the 19th morning. Again, glassy, and a 3 ft SW swell with a 17-second period. The combined energy is strong (881), and the wave comment says "expect very good surf conditions." This is the kind of morning where you get out early and everything clicks.
Then, we get a bit of a wild card. On the 20th (Monday), the swell picks up a bit more to 4 ft from the SW, period 16 seconds, and the energy is strong (891). The morning wind is a light, clean cross-offshore. That's a solid session.
But the absolute standout for the whole period, and it's a bit of a beauty, lands on Sunday the 26th of July. The morning has a 10 ft swell from the SE with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is massive (2325). This is a big, powerful, short-period swell that is for experts only. It's too big for beginners and will be a beast. The wave comment says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and with glassy conditions, the brave few will have a day to remember. Keep an eye on this one, but understand it's a long way out.
Through the second week, the consistency is there but the quality drops on the afternoons. The mornings of the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th offer clean, glassy conditions with waist-to-chest high swell, and the 25th morning has a very long period 21-second swell at 2 ft, making for some clean, shapey waves. The 28th morning also holds a good, clean 4 ft SW swell (1240 combined energy) for the experienced.
So, to sum it up: the best of the best is the Sunday the 19th morning for a classic, clean session, and the big, expert-only Sunday the 26th morning for the adrenaline junkies. The rest of the time, get on the early mornings for the cleanest conditions.
Stay stoked, and I'll see you in the water.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 15 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
347 | 282 | 273 | 261 | 319 | 336 | 186 | 312 | 303 | 183 | 289 | 171 | 150 | 132 | 340 | 249 | 236 | 244 | 505 | 499 | 580 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:09PM1.19m | 1:17AM0.77m | 2:08PM1.20m | 2:26AM0.83m | 3:06PM1.19m | 3:32AM0.90m | 4:01PM1.16m | 4:34AM0.98m | 4:54PM1.12m | 5:32AM1.04m | 5:44PM1.07m | 6:26AM1.08m | 6:33PM1.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:48PM0.18m | 7:21AM0.01m | 8:45PM0.13m | 8:29AM0.02m | 9:39PM0.08m | 9:34AM0.04m | 10:30PM0.04m | 10:37AM0.07m | 11:18PM0.01m | 11:37AM0.10m | 00:04AM0.00m | 12:34PM0.14m | 00:49AM0.01m | ||||||||
6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
— | 7:02 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:02 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | — | 3 | 4 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 3 |
Temp °C | 31 | 31 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 27 |
Feels °C | 34 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | SW 17 | SW 17 |
157 | 119 | 273 | 261 | 317 | 336 | 186 | 312 | 303 | 183 | 289 | 109 | 106 | 107 | 340 | 199 | 236 | 244 | 367 | 499 | 580 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSE 7 | SSW 17 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SW 15 | S 14 | S 14 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | S 11 | S 14 |
347 | 282 | 49 | 188 | 319 | 252 | 60 | 208 | 264 | 37 | 51 | 171 | 150 | 132 | 148 | 249 | 171 | 165 | 505 | 114 | 324 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 18 | SW 19 | SW 19 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SSE 7 | SW 16 | SSE 8 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSE 8 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 13 | S 10 | S 16 | WSW 4 | SE 8 | WSW 10 | SW 8 |
63 | 184 | 184 | 28 | 37 | 17 | 17 | 264 | 44 | 127 | 122 | 37 | 104 | 106 | 88 | 66 | 121 | 7 | 9 | 67 | 72 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | S 6 | — | — | W 4 | W 4 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | 6 | 15 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 53 | 1023 | 0 | 0 | 1041 | 0 | 0 | 178 | 0 | 10 | 178 | 0 | 0 | 1007 | 0 | 0 | 143 | 0 | 0 | 178 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Oaxaca | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Mexico | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Zicatela Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Zicatela provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Zicatela can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Zicatela 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 (Zicatela) 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 Zicatela 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Oaxaca? If you are looking for accommodation near Zicatela, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Oaxaca, consider staying in Puerto Escondido which is 1 km (1 miles) away. Other places in and around Oaxaca where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Nopala which is 31 km (19 miles) away and Miahuatlan de Porfirio Diaz, 73 km (45 miles) away.










