
Surf Forecasts:
Cox Bay surf forecast from 9 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 12 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 7s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SSW swell with 448 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 17s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cox Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Cox Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 1.1m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cox Bay in the next 16 days are 0.9m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cox Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s get right into it. The next couple of weeks are gonna be a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some clean windows, but we’re also gonna have to sit through some slop to get to the good stuff. Right now, the surf is pretty small and weak. We’re looking at a slow start, then a bit of a pulse of energy mid-period, but the standout window is further out, so keep that in mind.
Sunday the 9th is basically a write-off. There’s a tiny bit of knee-high swell, but it’s lined up wrong, and the wind is crossing it up. Not worth getting wet for. The water temp at Cox Bay is sitting at 60°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th are similar – small, weak, and a bit all over the place. We’re talking ankle-biters with poor shape. You’re better off doing something else with your time. This is a quiet stretch to start.
Wednesday the 12th afternoon is where things get a little more interesting. The swell jumps to 5ft, but the period drops right out to 7 seconds. That’s short-period windswell, and it’s coming straight onshore. It’s gonna be a bit lumpy and disorganized. Still, there’s more energy in the water (444 combined), so it’s not totally dead, but it’s not great either.
Now, Thursday the 13th morning is a real bright spot in this otherwise slow start. We get a clean 4ft of west-northwest swell with a light offshore wind. The water’s clean, and it’s got a bit of push to it. This is probably your best bet for the first week.
The next few days, Friday the 14th through to Sunday the 16th, are all in that 2ft to 3ft range. It’s small, but there are some glassy windows, especially Friday afternoon and Sunday morning where the wind goes totally glassy. If you’ve got a longboard, those will be fun, playful sessions. The energy is moderate, but the quality is there when the wind plays nice.
Then comes the real standout of the whole forecast. The week of the 17th and 18th. Monday the 17th is looking like the pick of the bunch. We’ve got 3ft of south-southwest swell, a 16-second period, and glassy conditions all day. That’s a proper, clean groundswell. The energy is strong (515 to 587), and with those light winds, Cox Bay (Tofino) is gonna have some fun, rippable waves. This is the one to circle on the calendar.
Tuesday the 18th sees the swell start to build, hitting 4ft in the morning and 5ft in the afternoon. The period drops a bit to 13 seconds, but there’s a lot more energy in the water (782 to 888). However, the wind switches onshore, so it’s gonna get a bit messier. There’s power there, but it won’t be as clean as Monday.
Wednesday the 19th keeps that size, but the onshore wind gets stronger, so it’s going to be a bit of a battle. Not great for the lineup.
After that, we see a bit of a drop-off. Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are back down to 3ft, with Friday morning looking glassy again. A few fun ones to be had if you’re keen.
The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd is a bit of a dud, with small, weak surf and poor winds.
Now, here’s the long-range promise. The very end of the forecast, on Monday the 24th, looks like it could be a proper pulse. We’re looking at 5ft in the morning, jumping to 7ft in the afternoon. That’s a significant size jump. The period is still short (7 seconds), so it’s windswell, but with that much energy (840 combined), it’s going to be powerful. That’s a couple of weeks away though, and with the short period, it might be more of a close-out at the beach. It could be a bit much for a beginner, definitely. That one’s for the experienced crew. It’s promising, but we’ll have to see how it shapes up.
Overall, the best surf on offer is that Monday the 17th. Glassy, clean, and with a nice long-period groundswell. That’s your standout. The other one to watch is the big pulse on the 24th, but that comes with a size and wind caveat. So, keep your expectations in check for the early days, and be ready to paddle out when that Monday rolls around.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu night, min 14°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 18 | SW 17 | WNW 6 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 20 | WNW 8 | SW 19 | SW 18 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
150 | 145 | 131 | 99 | 89 | 121 | 104 | 79 | 129 | 111 | 180 | 259 | 125 | 132 | 206 | 124 | 119 | 109 | 103 | 280 | 209 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | cross | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-off | on | glassy |
High Tide | 11:18AM2.66m | 10:19PM3.44m | 12:11PM2.85m | 11:23PM3.55m | 12:56PM3.02m | 00:21AM3.62m | 1:36PM3.18m | 1:15AM3.61m | 2:15PM3.30m | 2:04AM3.53m | 2:51PM3.38m | 2:51AM3.37m | 3:26PM3.41m | 3:37AM3.16m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:17PM1.75m | 5:34AM0.27m | 5:23PM1.57m | 6:26AM0.09m | 6:20PM1.34m | 7:12AM0.00m | 7:12PM1.12m | 7:52AM0.02m | 8:01PM0.94m | 8:30AM0.15m | 8:48PM0.82m | 9:05AM0.37m | 9:34PM0.77m | ||||||||
6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | |
— | 8:50 | — | — | 8:47 | — | — | 8:46 | — | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:43 | — | — | 8:40 | — | — | 8:39 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 6 | SW 17 | SW 16 | W 5 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | W 5 | W 6 | SW 18 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 6 | WNW 6 | W 6 | W 10 | W 9 |
52 | 145 | 122 | 33 | 89 | 121 | 104 | 79 | 42 | 100 | 154 | 259 | 125 | 132 | 121 | 89 | 62 | 56 | 30 | 87 | 153 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 16 | W 13 | W 9 | W 8 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 10 | W 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 |
150 | 35 | 36 | 99 | 30 | 23 | 31 | 60 | 129 | 111 | 80 | 150 | 95 | 129 | 206 | 124 | 119 | 102 | 96 | 280 | 209 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | W 12 | W 12 | W 10 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 20 | W 13 | SSW 13 | SW 14 | W 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | W 11 | W 8 | W 8 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
36 | 27 | 24 | 33 | 19 | 12 | 98 | 28 | 70 | 53 | 30 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 22 | 21 | 30 | 109 | 103 | 140 | 138 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | W 4 | W 4 | WNW 3 | WNW 8 | WNW 5 | — | WNW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 6 | — | W 5 | — |
— | 47 | 131 | 51 | 18 | 7 | 1 | 77 | 67 | — | 180 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 82 | — | 19 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1254 | 1708 | 1 | 1205 | 687 | 93 | 274 | 1021 | 0 | 119 | 1043 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 93 | 145 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Vancouver Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cox Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cox Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cox Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cox Bay 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 (Cox Bay) 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 Cox Bay 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.
Cox Bay is 77 km (48 miles) from Gold River. If you plan a holiday in Vancouver Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Gold River. Gold River has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











