Surf Forecasts:
Zicatela surf forecast from 10 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 14 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 14 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 18s period, SW swell with 1,213 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 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 Sunday (Aug 09) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 1.4m 18s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 14) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Fri 14th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Fri 14th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Zicatela over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let's get into what's cooking for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, the standout here is Zicatela. This spot is exposed to the SSW, and we've got a nice, consistent run of groundswell lining up. The water is sitting at a warm 87°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – feels like a bath.
The action kicks off Sunday morning, August 9th. It’s glassy, with clean 4ft SSW swell pushing in at 14 seconds. The energy is moderate but solid (610). This is a really good, clean start. The winds stay light and offshore through the first week, which is a huge plus for keeping the faces smooth.
Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th keep the same morning vibe: glassy, clean, with SSW to SW swell around 3ft. The period jumps to 18 seconds on Tuesday morning, which is a very long-period groundswell. That’ll bring in a lot of energy (864) and those long, peeling walls Zicatela is famous for, but be ready for longer lulls between sets.
Now, if you're looking for the real highlight of the forecast, you have to circle Friday morning, August 14th, and Saturday morning, August 15th. Friday morning serves up 4ft of SW swell at 18 seconds, glassy conditions, and the energy is pumping at 1109. The next morning, Saturday the 15th, is similar: 5ft of SW swell at 16 seconds, still glassy, with energy at 1069. These are the best, most powerful windows for an experienced surfer.
Heads up for Sunday, August 23rd. We’ve got a 8ft SE swell coming in, but the period is short at 8 seconds. The energy is high (1699), but that's a big, lumpy, short-period swell. That is for experts only, and the short period will make it a bit messy. It could be a handful.
There are no big gaps in the surf. The mornings are consistently the go, with the afternoons generally seeing a light onshore breeze that makes the conditions a bit less appealing. The standouts are the Friday and Saturday mornings of that second weekend. A bit of a longer-range call, so keep an eye on it, but the signs are very promising.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 32°C on Sun afternoon, min 26°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Thu night. Warm (max 32°C on Wed afternoon, min 26°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | ||||||||||||||
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 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 474 | 269 | 362 | 373 | 251 | 455 | 455 | 309 | 376 | 208 | 284 | 331 | 489 | 421 | 719 | 1213 | 1158 | 1115 | 989 | 827 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:42PM0.75m | 11:46AM1.12m | 11:51PM0.77m | 12:48PM1.11m | 1:04AM0.81m | 1:49PM1.10m | 2:14AM0.88m | 2:48PM1.08m | 3:19AM0.96m | 3:43PM1.06m | 4:18AM1.04m | 4:35PM1.03m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:17PM0.25m | 4:50AM0.04m | 6:20PM0.23m | 5:59AM0.06m | 7:22PM0.20m | 7:12AM0.08m | 8:20PM0.15m | 8:22AM0.10m | 9:14PM0.10m | 9:29AM0.11m | 10:04PM0.06m | 10:29AM0.11m | 10:51PM0.03m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | | |  | | | | |  | |  | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — |
 | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Temp °C | 32 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 28 | 32 | 32 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 28 |
Feels °C | 35 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 32 | 35 | 34 | 33 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
| kJ | 474 | 269 | 362 | 373 | 161 | 384 | 277 | 212 | 376 | 208 | 284 | 331 | 489 | 421 | 719 | 1213 | 1158 | 1115 | 989 | 827 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | SW 16 | SW 20 | SW 20 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SSW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 15 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 |
| kJ | 32 | 125 | 192 | 306 | 136 | 455 | 455 | 309 | 70 | 93 | 127 | 42 | 190 | 306 | 355 | 68 | 21 | 64 | 46 | 32 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 22 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 | SSW 19 | SSE 10 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 15 | SSW 10 | SSE 8 | SSW 10 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 12 | S 12 |
| kJ | 73 | 23 | 25 | 22 | 251 | 19 | 22 | 16 | 60 | 80 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 74 | 35 | 32 | 15 | 14 | 24 | 24 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 178 | 0 | 0 | 178 | 0 | 0 | 178 | 0 | 0 | 178 | 0 | 0 | 201 | 0 | 0 | 192 | 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.
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