
Surf Forecasts:
Cox Bay surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 20s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 20s period, SW swell with 746 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 8s period with WNW 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 Monday (Jul 20) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 16s. 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 1.0m 20s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 20s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 20s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cox Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Cox Bay over the next couple of weeks.
It’s a bit of a slow start, but don’t write it off just yet. The first real surf worth paddling out for doesn’t show up until Monday the 20th, and even then it’s pretty small. The real action is building later in the week and into the following week. There’s a long gap of nothing much at the very end, but we’ve got some quality windows to focus on.
The first decent session looks like Monday morning, the 20th of July. The swell is tiny at 2ft but it’s a long period SW groundswell of 17 seconds, which will give it some shape. The wind is glassy, so it’ll be clean. The combined wave energy is moderate at 460. This is a great one for beginners or anyone wanting a longboard out.
The first real standout is Wednesday afternoon, the 22nd. The swell bumps up to 4ft from the WNW, with a 9-second period, and the wind goes glassy again. The water is about average for the time of year, sitting at 59°. The combined energy is moderate at 421. It’s clean, it’s tidy, and it’s a solid afternoon session.
But the absolute best of the best is on Sunday the 26th of July. The swell is 3ft from the SW with a 20-second period, pushing the combined energy up to a strong 1005. The wind is cross-offshore from the SE, keeping it clean. This is a proper groundswell for the point and beach setup, so expect long, lined-up waves and easier paddling out between sets. It’s excellent conditions for experienced surfers, so this is the one to aim for.
The third week gets a bit more interesting again. On Monday the 3rd of August, look out for a 8ft WNW swell, but with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a very strong 1486, which is a lot of power. It’s glassy in the morning, making it perfect for experts only. If you’re good, that’s your big-wave window.
The best on offer: the Sunday the 26th session for the quality and the Monday the 3rd of August for the size. Crowds are occasionally a thing at Cox Bay, so keep that in mind.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Tue night, min 14°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | SW 26 | SW 26 | SW 24 | SSW 24 | SW 22 | SW 21 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
276 | 253 | 243 | 238 | 125 | 203 | 203 | 158 | 207 | 232 | 194 | 268 | 232 | 338 | 329 | 170 | 666 | 368 | 471 | 664 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | off | cross-off | on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 5:26PM3.23m | 5:42AM2.70m | 6:09PM3.16m | 6:46AM2.48m | 6:55PM3.08m | 8:06AM2.35m | 7:49PM3.02m | 9:36AM2.34m | 8:47PM3.00m | 10:51AM2.43m | 9:43PM3.03m | 11:45AM2.54m | 10:36PM3.08m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:49PM1.03m | 11:37AM1.02m | 00:50AM1.05m | 12:21PM1.35m | 1:55AM1.05m | 1:15PM1.61m | 3:01AM1.02m | 2:27PM1.79m | 4:06AM0.93m | 3:42PM1.86m | 5:03AM0.82m | 4:42PM1.85m | ||||||||
— | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | |
— | 9:19 | — | — | 9:17 | — | — | 9:16 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:14 | — | — | 9:12 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | 16 |
Temp °C | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
Feels °C | 12 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 14 | SW 24 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 8 |
191 | 253 | 187 | 163 | 105 | 102 | 163 | 144 | 207 | 232 | 194 | 268 | 232 | 338 | 196 | 120 | 666 | 115 | 90 | 125 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 26 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 22 | SW 21 |
64 | 165 | 243 | 238 | 125 | 203 | 203 | 158 | 142 | 142 | 142 | 162 | 158 | 144 | 142 | 170 | 116 | 163 | 471 | 664 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SW 26 | S 9 | SW 17 | SSW 24 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
65 | 55 | 30 | 29 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 33 | 51 | 47 | 43 | 39 | 38 | 32 | 329 | 14 | 46 | 368 | 118 | 99 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | — | — | — |
276 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 160 | 141 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 145 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 0 | 119 | 763 | 0 | 93 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1021 | 135 | 0 | 0 | 119 |
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.










