Surf Forecasts:
Big Ben surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SSE swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 20ft (6.0m), 12s period, SSE swell with 10,981 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 10s 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Big Ben in the next 16 days are 6.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (JST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 20ft (6.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Big Ben over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, this is Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a quiet start. The first few days at Big Ben are pretty flat with tiny, weak swell – think 1ft to 2ft, and the wind is a bit messy, cross-on or cross-shore. It’s pretty poor out there, so don’t bother paddling out just yet. This stretch of nothing really lasts from Thursday afternoon through to Saturday morning, with the energy creeping up slowly but still not enough to get excited about. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is spot on average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit.
Come Saturday the 22nd, we see a lift – swell hits 3ft from the east, with a period around 10 seconds, and the energy bumps up to moderate (260 to 331). Still, it’s only marginal, and the wind is cross-shore, so it’s pretty average. Sunday the 23rd morning is similar, but the afternoon brings a bit more promise: a 3ft swell from the SSE with a long 14-second period, and the energy jumps to 692 (moderate). The wind is light cross-on, and with that longer period, it’s a groundswell that’ll shape up better at points and reefs, but Big Ben is a beach/jetty setup, so it might break a bit straight. Still, it’s worth a look if you’re keen.
Now, the real standout is a long way off, but it’s a cracker. Head out to Big Ben on the morning of Sunday the 30th of August. The swell is 7ft from the SSE with an 11-second period, and the energy is strong (1037). The wind is glassy – absolute perfection. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, and it’s going to be clean as a whistle. The other morning that pops is Saturday the 29th, with 6ft from the SSE and an 8-second period, but the wind is cross-off and clean, so it’s still a solid option. The 30th morning is the pick of the bunch, though – that glassy wind and solid SSE swell is a true standout.
A couple of things to keep in mind: on the 25th and 26th of August, the swell gets huge – 13ft to 17ft from the south and SSE, but the wind is mostly cross-on or glassy, and the energy is insane (8144 to 12667). The notes say it’s too big for the break, so only experts should even consider it, and even then, it’s a beast. Also, the 28th brings a drop-off with 8ft from the SSE, but the period is short (8 seconds) and the wind picks up to a moderate breeze, making it messy and marginal.
Overall, the best of the best is the Sunday morning of the 30th of August at Big Ben – glassy conditions, 7ft SSE swell, and excellent quality. The Saturday the 29th is a close second with clean cross-off winds. The first week is a write-off, but hold out for that last weekend of August – it’ll be worth the wait.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 28°C on Fri morning, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Tue morning, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | ENE 10 | SSE 14 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | S 16 | S 16 | S 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
42 | 57 | 57 | 58 | 65 | 66 | 175 | 235 | 198 | 128 | 425 | 2033 | 3455 | 2787 | 4218 | 7815 | 8412 | 6613 | 6898 | 5534 | 10981 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:31AM1.15m | 8:09PM1.44m | 8:37PM1.39m | 9:26PM1.33m | 4:10PM1.33m | 00:01AM1.29m | 4:16PM1.41m | 1:46AM1.34m | 4:31PM1.46m | 2:51AM1.43m | 4:50PM1.50m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 1:53PM0.97m | 4:00AM0.52m | 5:40AM0.51m | 7:19AM0.44m | 8:35PM1.23m | 8:26AM0.35m | 9:17PM1.13m | 9:13AM0.27m | 9:46PM1.02m | 9:53AM0.22m | 10:14PM0.89m | ||||||||||
5:01 | — | — | 5:03 | — | — | 5:03 | — | — | 5:03 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | |
— | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:17 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 6 |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 11 | ESE 7 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | ENE 10 | SSE 14 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | S 16 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | E 12 | E 15 |
15 | 15 | 57 | 27 | 65 | 66 | 175 | 235 | 198 | 128 | 425 | 2033 | 3455 | 2787 | 4218 | 7815 | 8412 | 6613 | 5558 | 141 | 218 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | SE 11 | ENE 8 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | E 12 | ENE 9 | E 12 | SSE 18 | S 18 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 16 | E 12 |
42 | 57 | 22 | 45 | 44 | 52 | 47 | 46 | 32 | 31 | 75 | 86 | 172 | 1747 | 1903 | 294 | 281 | 215 | 157 | 82 | 45 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SSW 8 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | S 5 | ESE 13 | SSW 8 | E 12 | SW 11 | E 12 | E 15 | SW 10 | SW 10 | E 19 | E 18 | — | — |
26 | 26 | 23 | 58 | 30 | 47 | 16 | 28 | 11 | 55 | 28 | 106 | 40 | 224 | 267 | 35 | 16 | 27 | 54 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SE 6 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | S 5 | S 5 | — | NE 4 | ENE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 |
— | — | 8 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 22 | — | 5 | 164 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6898 | 5534 | 10981 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 30 | 30 | 30 | 35 | 30 | 35 | 39 | 35 | 0 | 6 | 22 | 6 | 29 | 30 | 35 | 35 | 1273 | 35 | 35 | 81 | 81 |
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.











