
Surf Forecasts:
Big Ben surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 15s period, S swell with 9,697 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 14s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Big Ben this week:
The surf forecast for Big Ben over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Big Ben in the next 16 days are 5.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 20) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (JST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Fri 18th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Mon 21st Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Big Ben over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up for Big Ben.
Right off the bat, the water’s sitting at a mild 80°—right about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The first few days are a bit of a write-off, though. We’ve got a messy cross-shore wind and weak, short-period swell, so you’ll be fighting a cross-chop more than riding anything decent. It’s pretty poor until we see a shift.
Now, things get a bit more interesting mid-period, but it’s not straightforward. By Thursday the 17th, the swell picks up a little, but the period is real short—only 7 to 8 seconds—so it’s going to be lumpy and jumbled. Winds are cross-offshore and clean, but the wave quality is still marginal. That holds through Friday the 18th, with bigger numbers on the charts—8 ft on the Friday morning—but the energy is still pretty weak for the size (combined energy 947). The afternoon sees a proper jump though, with a 15-second period SE groundswell kicking in and the energy spiking to 2243. That’s more like it, but the wind is still a fresh cross-off, and it’s only a 2/10 score for surfability.
The real standout, and I mean the one you’ve got to circle on your calendar, is Saturday the 19th. We’re looking at a big, long-period SE swell rolling in at 12 ft and 14 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 5989—this is serious power. Winds are clean and cross-offshore. The catch? This is way too much swell for Big Ben. It’s a beach/jetty setup, and 12 ft of long-period groundswell is going to close out, shift around, and be straight-up dangerous for anyone but absolute experts. The forecast is honest: it’s too big for this break. If you’re a seasoned charger, maybe, but even then, be smart.
Sunday the 20th drops back to 8 ft from the SSE, still with good period and cross-off winds, but it’s still on the big side and the energy is still high (4103). For a more manageable session, look at Tuesday the 22nd afternoon. The swell drops to 7 ft from the ENE, period is a solid 11 seconds, and the winds are clean cross-off. It’s still a bit punchy, but for experienced surfers, that’s a solid window. The energy is 1075—moderate, but well-shaped.
After that, it’s a slow fade. The end of September and into the last week is pretty grim. Thursday the 24th morning gives us a tiny 3 ft glassy window with perfect conditions—it’s only a 2/10 for quality, but if you just want to get wet and catch a few ankle-biters, that glassy morning will be a treat. After that, we’re back to light, weak windswell and crummy winds.
So, the clear champion here is Saturday the 19th, but it’s only if you’ve got the skill and the nerve. For everyone else, aim for the 22nd afternoon for the best mix of size and shape. The last week is quiet, so make the most of the middle part of the forecast. The setup for the big days might actually be better for kiteboarding than paddle surfing, given the conditions.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 90mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 20°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the NNE by Wed night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Thu morning, min 19°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 12 | SSE 10 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SE 15 | SE 16 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SSE 14 | S 13 | S 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
233 | 218 | 388 | 383 | 496 | 345 | 276 | 255 | 141 | 272 | 400 | 589 | 817 | 1154 | 5436 | 5087 | 3741 | 4374 | 2844 | 2623 | 3312 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:50PM1.57m | 6:37AM1.52m | 6:10PM1.56m | 7:20AM1.42m | 6:29PM1.55m | 8:11AM1.30m | 6:50PM1.51m | 9:25AM1.19m | 7:10PM1.46m | 7:26PM1.38m | 4:03PM1.29m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 11:55AM0.58m | 00:13AM0.33m | 12:20PM0.71m | 00:48AM0.32m | 12:42PM0.84m | 1:26AM0.34m | 1:01PM0.96m | 2:13AM0.40m | 1:11PM1.08m | 3:15AM0.48m | 4:55AM0.53m | ||||||||||
5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | |
— | 5:49 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:39 | — | |
mm | — | — | 3 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 4 | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
Feels °C | 29 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | E 12 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 12 | E 11 | SSE 9 | SE 16 | SE 15 | SE 16 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SSE 14 | S 13 | S 14 |
233 | 193 | 388 | 383 | 496 | 113 | 93 | 93 | 63 | 101 | 91 | 7 | 122 | 1154 | 5436 | 5087 | 3741 | 4374 | 2844 | 2623 | 3312 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | ENE 15 | ENE 6 | SE 8 | SE 7 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | SE 8 | SE 7 | S 17 | SSE 9 | SSE 20 | — | SSE 18 | SSE 15 | NE 8 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 |
74 | 78 | 4 | 113 | 115 | 345 | 276 | 255 | 141 | 32 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 261 | — | 454 | 1450 | 73 | 1221 | 1156 | 1022 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | S 7 | NE 10 | — | — | SW 6 | E 16 | ENE 14 | SSE 9 | — | — | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | — | E 14 | E 13 | E 12 |
8 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 4 | — | — | 8 | 5 | 40 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 74 | 94 | — | 15 | 51 | 69 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 3 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | WSW 4 | — | — | NE 4 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 6 | NE 6 |
2 | 218 | 237 | 5 | — | — | 16 | 43 | 130 | 272 | 400 | 589 | 817 | 828 | 704 | 374 | 198 | 42 | 23 | 161 | 124 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 121 | 183 | 81 | 90 | 30 | 0 | 29 | 35 | 532 | 184 | 184 | 530 | 273 | 184 | 513 | 553 | 595 | 532 | 90 | 595 | 58 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Chiba | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Big Ben Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Big Ben provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Big Ben can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Big Ben 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 (Big Ben) 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 Big Ben 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.
Big Ben is 3 km (2 miles) from Kawaguchi. If you plan a holiday in Chiba, look for hotels and other accommodation in Kawaguchi. Kawaguchi has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










