
Surf Forecasts:
Big Ben surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 17s period, SE swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period, SSE swell with 10,687 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period with SW 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 Saturday (Aug 01) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 11s 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 4.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (JST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (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 have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
Straight up, it's a bit of a waiting game at Big Ben. The surf's gonna be tiny and a bit messy to kick things off, but there's some serious size on the horizon. We're looking at a long period, big swell event that's going to be more about watching than paddling for most of us.
The first real action creeps in on Saturday the 1st of August. We're talking tiny 1.0ft waves from the east, with a sluggish 11-second period. The energy is weak (53), and the water is a warm 80°, which is about normal for this time of year. A light cross-shore wind won't help much. It's a no-go.
Sunday the 2nd sees the swell build to 4ft from the east-southeast, but it's still messy. The wind freshens up to 16 mph, and even though the combined energy jumps to moderate (987), the conditions are rough. The waves are too weak and the wind too strong for a decent session.
Monday the 3rd is the same story – bigger, but uglier. The swell hits 7ft, and by the afternoon it's 8ft from the southeast with a solid 17-second period. The energy is getting strong (4328), but the cross-shore wind is a real problem. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a clean paddle session.
Now, from Tuesday the 4th through to the 7th of August, the swell gets big. Really big. We're talking 12ft to 15ft from the southeast. The combined energy is massive (up to 10642). The wind does turn slightly offshore at times, which would make it clean, but the rule is clear: this is expert territory only. For a beginner break like Big Ben, anything over 8ft is just too big and dangerous. So, unless you're a seasoned charger, stay out of the water.
We get a bit of a drop-off from Friday the 7th, but the quality is still poor. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is messy. The energy stays strong (between 1464 and 2893), but the wind just ruins it.
The second week doesn't look much better for a quality session. From Sunday the 9th to Monday the 10th, the swell drops to 6ft, but the wind is a constant cross-shore or onshore breeze. The conditions are marginal.
Tuesday the 11th has a pulse of 8ft from the east, but again, the wind is a cross-shore mess.
Wednesday the 12th brings another massive pulse of 12ft from the east-northeast, with a clean offshore wind in the morning. But again, it's too big for this spot.
The rest of the week into the 16th of August is a mix of big, unmanageable swells and messy, wind-affected conditions. The 16th of August sees a colossal 25ft swell from the east, with extreme energy (37108). It's a beast of a swell, but it's way beyond the limits of this break.
To be honest, looking at the entire 16-day window, there's no standout day for a good, clean, manageable surf at Big Ben. The best swells are either too big, too windy, or both. If you're a beginner or intermediate, you're better off waiting for a different window. The forecast can always change, but right now, the ocean is just not playing ball for a good paddle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 31°C on Sat morning, min 22°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 29°C on Thu morning, min 23°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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 11 | SE 16 | ESE 15 | ESE 16 | ESE 15 | ESE 15 | SE 17 | SE 17 | SE 17 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | S 15 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | SSW 14 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
21 | 124 | 188 | 892 | 936 | 1368 | 2683 | 3954 | 4981 | 6278 | 9756 | 8860 | 10642 | 9448 | 8112 | 6161 | 4552 | 3060 | 2606 | 2488 | 1685 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:57PM1.49m | 6:27AM1.49m | 7:20PM1.48m | 7:11AM1.41m | 7:42PM1.47m | 7:59AM1.30m | 8:06PM1.45m | 9:01AM1.18m | 8:31PM1.43m | 10:40AM1.08m | 9:01PM1.40m | 9:44PM1.36m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 12:24PM0.23m | 00:41AM0.69m | 12:53PM0.36m | 1:18AM0.62m | 1:22PM0.51m | 1:59AM0.58m | 1:49PM0.67m | 2:48AM0.56m | 2:13PM0.83m | 3:50AM0.55m | 2:28PM0.99m | 5:14AM0.52m | |||||||||
4:47 | — | — | 4:48 | — | — | 4:48 | — | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | |
— | 6:43 | — | — | 6:42 | — | — | 6:40 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:38 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 31 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 26 |
Feels °C | 35 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SE 16 | ESE 15 | ESE 16 | ESE 15 | ESE 15 | SE 17 | SE 17 | SE 17 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | S 15 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | SSW 14 | SW 15 |
17 | 124 | 188 | 892 | 936 | 1368 | 2683 | 3954 | 4981 | 6278 | 9756 | 8860 | 10642 | 9448 | 8112 | 6161 | 4552 | 3060 | 2606 | 2488 | 1685 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | E 11 | ESE 10 | SSW 6 | ENE 15 | E 15 | E 14 | E 14 | ENE 14 | E 13 | ENE 13 | E 13 | — | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | S 12 |
21 | 59 | 80 | 10 | 72 | 109 | 98 | 101 | 63 | 92 | 57 | 87 | — | 524 | 386 | 332 | 302 | 245 | 245 | 205 | 456 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 6 | ENE 16 | SW 6 | — | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 16 | ENE 16 | ENE 16 | ENE 15 | ENE 15 | ENE 15 | ESE 10 |
15 | 11 | 22 | 82 | 9 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | 25 | 51 | 46 | 42 | 42 | 269 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 6 | — | NE 3 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 27 | — | 3 | 51 | 97 | 111 | 273 | 366 | 463 | 550 | 279 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 30 | 30 | 0 | 29 | 48 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 184 | 534 | 29 | 63 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 35 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
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.











