
Surf Forecasts:
Cox Bay surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 11s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 3 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s period, W swell with 743 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 11s period with W 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cox Bay in the next 16 days are 1.8m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 9s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 03) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cox Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the next couple weeks.
We’re kicking off the forecast period with some small, high-period groundswell at Cox Bay. The water temperature is sitting at 58°, which is just about normal for this time of year, so don’t expect any surprises there. Right off the bat, there’s a bit of a slow start on the 2nd with a swelly 5 ft from the west, but the energy is moderate (540) and the wind is a cross-off, so it’s not all bad if you’re desperate for a paddle.
Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are quiet days, with wave heights dropping right down to around 2 ft to 2 ft, but here’s the thing – the morning of Friday the 4th sees a super long period of 19 seconds from the SSW. That’s proper groundswell energy (475), and with a clean, slight air, the wave shapes could be surprisingly fun on a point break like this, even if tiny. The standout, though, is the afternoon of Friday the 4th – 2 ft, SSW, with a period of 18 seconds, and absolutely glassy conditions. That’s your pick for the first weekend; it’ll be clean and lined up, but keep an eye on the tide, as some of those sets might break a bit straight given such a long period.
Moving through Saturday the 5th, the morning is glassy again with a 3 ft swell from the SSW and a 18-second period – more of the same great shape but small. The wind goes onshore by the afternoon, so get out early. Sunday the 6th holds glassy conditions in the morning too, with 3 ft and 16 seconds, but the energy is dropping a bit (450). After that, the surf goes real quiet from Sunday afternoon right through most of the following week, with nothing above 2 ft and mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds. That’s a big gap of several days with no real recommendations until Thursday the 10th.
Thursday the 10th looks interesting. The morning shows a 6 ft swell from the WNW, but the period is only 7 seconds – that’s windswell, not groundswell. The energy is moderate to strong (830) and it’s clean due to cross-off wind, so it will be lumpy and a bit disorganised but rideable. The real standout of the entire forecast might be the morning of Saturday the 12th. We’ve got 3 ft from the SW with a 15-second period, clean as a whistle, and the combined energy is high (932), which is surprising for such a small height – it means the power is really concentrated. If you want a wave that feels bigger than it looks, that’s your slot.
After that, the swell builds again. Monday morning the 14th has 5 ft, 10 seconds from the west, glassy – that’s a really good call for a session. The energy is solid (705). Tuesday the 15th is similar, with 4 ft from the west and an 11-second period, glassy in the morning again. These two mornings are your classic, clean options with decent groundswell.
Look at the afternoon of Wednesday the 16th – 8 ft from the WNW, 7-second period, and glassy. That’s a big, powerful windswell (753), and it’s clean, but 8 ft on a beach and point break with that short period will be a handful. This one is strictly for experts; beginners should stay out of the water. The break might look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing given the size and short period.
And the morning of Thursday the 17th holds 6 ft from the WNW, glassy – that’s a decent one to close out the run.
So if you’re going to pick a standout, I’d say Friday 4th afternoon for those tiny, glassy, long-period waves, or the morning of Saturday 12th for the deceptive power in the small swell. The morning of Monday the 14th is also a solid, clean option with proper size. The big stuff on the 16th is for the brave only. Watch for crowds here – Cox Bay gets busy, especially on weekends and when the conditions clean up.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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) | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | SW 19 | SSW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
743 | 533 | 369 | 284 | 246 | 345 | 399 | 390 | 355 | 407 | 314 | 358 | 334 | 330 | 264 | 236 | 173 | 116 | 156 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | glassy | on | cross-on | off | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 5:46AM2.62m | 5:23PM3.32m | 7:04AM2.49m | 6:24PM3.21m | 8:36AM2.47m | 7:44PM3.15m | 10:01AM2.59m | 9:08PM3.19m | 11:03AM2.77m | 10:20PM3.29m | 11:49AM2.97m | 11:23PM3.39m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:30PM0.70m | 10:59AM1.54m | 00:36AM0.77m | 11:58AM1.77m | 1:53AM0.78m | 1:27PM1.89m | 3:12AM0.71m | 3:05PM1.83m | 4:21AM0.55m | 4:24PM1.62m | 5:18AM0.40m | 5:24PM1.35m | |||||||
— | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
8:04 | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | |
mm | 13 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 12 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 10 | SSW 14 | W 10 | WNW 6 |
743 | 533 | 369 | 235 | 165 | 158 | 132 | 106 | 355 | 407 | 314 | 358 | 334 | 330 | 264 | 127 | 173 | 67 | 51 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | S 8 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 12 | W 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | SSW 14 | W 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
173 | 181 | 86 | 49 | 246 | 345 | 399 | 390 | 79 | 70 | 51 | 75 | 103 | 126 | 121 | 236 | 67 | 116 | 156 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 19 | S 6 | S 6 | W 13 | SSW 12 | W 12 | W 13 | W 13 | SSW 11 | WNW 8 | S 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 16 | W 9 |
65 | 37 | 133 | 284 | 29 | 12 | 31 | 29 | 47 | 55 | 87 | 38 | 23 | 7 | 23 | 40 | 20 | 85 | 24 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | — | — | NW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 8 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | W 4 | — | — | WNW 3 | — |
442 | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 67 | 25 | 17 | 16 | — | — | 3 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 119 | 0 | 93 | 93 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 119 | 0 | 0 | 145 | 1 | 123 | 687 | 9 | 0 | 1720 |
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.










