
Surf Forecasts:
Big Ben surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SE swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period, SE swell with 9,444 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period with SE 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 (Aug 04) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 1.6m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Big Ben in the next 16 days are 4.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.2m 7s period and expected on Monday (Aug 10) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (JST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Big Ben over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
Well, the next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag for Big Ben. If you’re a beginner or just looking for mellow waves, you’re going to have to be patient. The swell is going to be a major player here, and for the most part, it’s just too damn big for this spot. The first real window of opportunity doesn’t really open up until the middle of the second week, but we’ll get to that.
Now, let’s start with what’s coming. The big news is a very long period groundswell from the SE that arrives on the 3rd of August. The water is sitting at a warm 82°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. But here’s the rub: that Monday afternoon, with a 8ft swell from the SE and a period of 17 seconds, the combined energy is massive at 3883. That’s a lot of power. The wind is a moderate cross-shore from the NE, so it’s not clean, but the real problem is the size. By Tuesday morning, the swell jumps to 12ft, and the guidance flags it as too big for this break. The same goes for Wednesday when we see a 15ft swell from the SSE. The wind is cleaner on Wednesday morning with a cross-offshore breeze, but 15ft is expert territory and way too much for a beginner-friendly spot like this. The energy readings are off the charts, hitting 9444 on Wednesday morning. This setup honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The swell hangs around 8ft to 10ft through Thursday and Friday, but the wind swings cross-onshore, bringing chop and making things messy. The combined energy is still strong, reading between 3308 and 4595. By the weekend of the 8th and 9th, the swell drops to around 7ft, but the wind is still cross-onshore, and the surf is described as marginal. The period is still a very long 15 to 16 seconds, which is good for shape but can make the waves a bit too straight at this beach/jetty setup.
Now, there’s a glimmer on the 10th of August. We get a 8ft to 10ft easterly swell, and the wind finally turns nice and clean, cross-offshore from the NNE. The energy is still very strong at 5920, but the comment says it’s too big for this break. So that’s a tease.
The real standout, and the only one I’d really call a winner, is the late window on the 15th of August. That Saturday afternoon, we see a 15ft swell from the east with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 7514. But again, the guidance flags it as too big. For a beginner spot, this is a no-go.
The truth is, there isn’t a single day in this 16-day window where Big Ben is going to be surfable for the average punter. The swell is consistently too powerful, and when it’s not, the wind is onshore. It’s a frustrating run, but in this area, blank stretches like this happen. The forecasts can change, but as it stands, you’re better off finding a protected reef or a point break if you can. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Thu morning, min 22°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Fri morning. Warm (max 29°C on Fri morning, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 17 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
3610 | 4498 | 5567 | 5953 | 8489 | 9444 | 8487 | 4834 | 3917 | 4142 | 3204 | 3052 | 2651 | 1983 | 2090 | 1980 | 2155 | 1910 | 2107 | 1875 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:42PM1.47m | 7:59AM1.30m | 8:06PM1.45m | 9:01AM1.18m | 8:31PM1.43m | 10:40AM1.08m | 9:01PM1.40m | 9:44PM1.36m | 4:28PM1.26m | 11:10PM1.33m | 4:23PM1.35m | 00:59AM1.34m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:59AM0.58m | 1:49PM0.67m | 2:48AM0.56m | 2:13PM0.83m | 3:50AM0.55m | 2:28PM0.99m | 5:14AM0.52m | 6:50AM0.45m | 6:32PM1.25m | 8:04AM0.35m | 8:47PM1.21m | |||||||||
— | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | |
6:40 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:38 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:36 | — | — | 6:35 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 24 |
Feels °C | 25 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 17 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | ESE 13 | SW 16 | E 13 |
3610 | 4498 | 5567 | 5953 | 8489 | 9444 | 8487 | 4834 | 3917 | 4142 | 3204 | 3052 | 2651 | 1983 | 2090 | 1980 | 2155 | 1442 | 2107 | 1693 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | ENE 13 | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 12 | SW 15 | ESE 14 | SW 16 |
98 | 94 | 93 | 89 | 57 | — | — | 575 | 477 | 402 | 563 | 551 | 614 | 743 | 691 | 760 | 1217 | 1910 | 1512 | 1875 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 17 | ENE 16 | ENE 16 | ENE 15 | ENE 15 | ENE 15 | ENE 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 14 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | 25 | 51 | 46 | 42 | 43 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 38 | 136 | 121 | 38 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
175 | 265 | 322 | 368 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 716 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 595 | 534 | 184 | 29 | 534 | 532 | 29 | 18 | 29 | 95 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 95 | 48 | 30 | 22 | 48 | 48 | 1075 |
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.











