
Surf Forecasts:
Cox Bay surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, WNW swell with glassy 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 (1.6m), 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 1.6m 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 (1.6m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
| 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 cookin' for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’re in a bit of a flat spell. The first few days are a write-off with tiny, weak swell and cross-onshore winds making a mess of things. The water temp is sitting at about 59°F, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so nothing to shock you there.
The first real glimmer of hope hits on Tuesday afternoon, the 21st of July. The swell is small, only 2ft from the SW, but the wind goes glassy. That’s a rare treat and will make for some silky, clean conditions. It’s small, but if you've got a longboard, you'll be smiling. The combined energy is moderate (382).
Wednesday the 22nd keeps that glassy feel going into the afternoon, with a clean 4ft from the WNW. A little more push, but still very manageable. The wind goes dead calm, so expect some real beauty.
Now, if you're looking for the standout of the whole forecast, you've got to circle Thursday the 24th of July. The morning session at Cox Bay is where it's at. The swell is still small at 2ft, but the period is a very long 26 seconds from the SW. That’s pure groundswell energy, and the combined energy is strong (604). The wind is light and cross-offshore, which means clean, peeling lines. The wave quality is expected to be very good. Be aware though, the crowds here can be a factor sometimes, so get there early.
The following weekend, the 26th of July, is another solid shout. Sunday morning and afternoon both look very good. The swell bumps up to 3ft to 3ft from the SW, with a long period of 20-21 seconds. The combined energy is very strong (910 and 996). The wind is a clean cross-offshore again. This is prime Cox Bay.
After that, the surf gets a bit messy through the end of July and early August, with a lot of onshore wind and onshore swell. There’s a pulse of bigger swell on the 3rd of August, with 6ft and even 10ft from the WNW. That 10ft is serious size – only for experts. The period is short (8 seconds) though, so it’ll be a bit crumbly and onshore, making it a tough paddle.
So, the best bets are the 21st and 22nd for glassy small waves, but the absolute standout is the morning of the 24th of July for that long-period groundswell and clean conditions. The 26th is a close second for a full day of fun.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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 19 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | SW 17 | SW 17 | WNW 8 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 15 | SW 26 | SW 26 | SW 24 | SSW 24 | SW 22 | SW 21 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
173 | 228 | 287 | 243 | 238 | 127 | 203 | 203 | 176 | 211 | 212 | 221 | 221 | 194 | 142 | 329 | 170 | 666 | 368 | 471 | 664 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross | glassy | glassy | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | cross-on | cross | 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 | 10:57AM0.68m | 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 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 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 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 17 |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 14 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 24 | WNW 8 | SW 22 | SW 21 |
155 | 64 | 287 | 192 | 163 | 127 | 123 | 163 | 176 | 211 | 212 | 221 | 221 | 194 | 127 | 133 | 120 | 666 | 92 | 471 | 664 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 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 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 8 | W 8 |
173 | 65 | 165 | 243 | 238 | 125 | 203 | 203 | 158 | 142 | 142 | 142 | 162 | 158 | 142 | 142 | 140 | 116 | 163 | 70 | 82 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | SW 19 | 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 | SW 26 | SW 17 | SSW 24 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
100 | 58 | 55 | 30 | 30 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 33 | 51 | 47 | 41 | 37 | 37 | 18 | 329 | 170 | 46 | 368 | 118 | 99 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 7 | — | — | — |
— | 228 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 91 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 119 | 162 | 0 | 119 | 145 | 0 | 93 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 119 | 135 | 119 | 123 | 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.










