Big Ben Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down.

For Big Ben, the water’s about normal for the season – 81°F. From Sunday the 16th all the way through Friday the 21st, we’re looking at small, weak, short-period easterly windswell (energy around 369), with cross-onshore winds. That’s poor, choppy, and not worth a second look. That’s a solid 8 days of nothing.

Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are still marginal – swell around 3ft from the east, cross-shore winds, but just not enough to get excited about.

Then Monday the 24th afternoon: the swell drops to 2ft but the period opens up to 12 seconds from the southeast, with a clean cross-offshore breeze. Energy is 369, and the forecast is “expect good surf conditions.” That’s a sneak peak at some clean, fun waves.

Tuesday the 25th: we get 5ft from the SSE with a 14-second period – that’s real groundswell energy (1590). But the wind is cross-shore and moderate, so it’s a bit bumpy. Still, the size is there.

The standout is Wednesday the 26th morning. Swell at 7ft from the SSE, 15-second period, light cross-onshore wind. The energy is 2638. For a beach/jetty break, that long-period swell can make the waves a bit too lined up, but with that size, it’s going to be powerful. This one’s for experienced surfers only – 7ft is solid, and the 15-second period means long waits between sets but heavy, well-shaped waves.

From Thursday the 27th onward, the swell keeps pumping – 8ft, 10ft, even 28ft by the 31st – but the wind turns onshore, and the energy goes through the roof (3594 to 34977). The notes say it’s too big for the break. That’s big-wave territory, not for the average surfer.

So, the pick of the forecast is Wednesday the 26th morning at Big Ben – 7ft SSE groundswell, light wind, and a whole lot of juice. Don’t sleep on it.

Rusty.

Read more