Cocoa Beach Pier Alert Guide

Florida, USA · part of the Cocoa Beach Pier spot guide

The Cape Canaveral Nearshore buoy (41113) sits about 8 km off the beach, so a live-observation alert reads exactly what’s arriving. The height below is the buoy reading — and this is a small wave by nature, so the threshold is deliberately low.

The forecaster's checklist

1. 1.Hurricanes are the only real size (August to October) — but apply the onshore-wind veto: the sweet spot is a system far enough east that the swell arrives clean and the wind stays west or northwest.
2. 2.Nor’easters and cold fronts are the bread and butter (November to March) — target the post-frontal northeast-to-east swell as the wind backs offshore.
3. 3.Apply the wide-shelf discount to everything: knock the model height down, and anything under 7 seconds barely translates to the sand.
4. 4.Read the buoy (41113): under 2 ft at 3 to 4 seconds is flat; 2 to 4 ft at 5 to 7 seconds from the east or northeast is fun-to-good; 4 ft and up at 8 seconds is solid — check the wind.
5. 5.Gate the session on a mid-to-high tide and a light west offshore.

Local winds & tide

Best wind: W offshore for the east-facing beach — from 240° to 315° (WSW–NW).

Best on a mid-to-high tide; low tide goes shallow, weak and close-out.

Dial it in