Surf Forecasts:
Rhino Head surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 2,339 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rhino Head this week:
The surf forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 20s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rhino Head in the next 16 days are 2.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Fri 31st Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s talk about what Rhino Head is serving up. Honestly, the first few days are a bit of a bummer. Friday the 31st, you’ve got a tiny 3ft SSW swell with a 13-second period, but the conditions are just… blah. Cross-off breeze, low energy (259), and not worth your time. Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd stay rough. The swell bumps to 4ft to 5ft, but with 25 km/h to 35 km/h winds, it’s just a mess (energy hits 769 to 1151). Sunday is a total write-off.
Monday the 3rd brings some size — 6ft SW — but it’s paired with 30 km/h SW winds, making it lumpy and raw (energy 1878). Not your day. But Tuesday the 4th starts to turn. Winds drop to a light 10 km/h, still cross-off, and you’ve got a clean 4ft SW swell with a 12-second period. Energy is moderate at 403. It’s surfable and beginner-friendly, with the reef being sheltered and fairly consistent. Crowds are “sometimes,” so you might get some peace.
Wednesday the 5th slips back, but Thursday the 6th afternoon is a real highlight. The wind goes glassy — 5 km/h from the northwest — and that 4ft SW groundswell (16-second period) cleans right up. Combined energy is strong at 1036. For a sheltered reef, this is about as good as it gets for a beginner session. That’s one of the best calls in the whole run.
Friday the 7th gets blown out again, but then Saturday the 8th morning is a standout. You’ve got 6ft of WSW swell with a shorter 10-second period, but the wind is 20 km/h offshore from the WNW, and the energy is a meaty 1149. The break is clean, offshore, and that size is solid intermediate territory. Saturday afternoon pushes to 7ft SW with a 14-second period and light winds, but that’s getting into expert-only waters.
Sunday the 9th is a no-go: 12ft SW swell with 50 km/h winds. Combined energy is a massive 5186, but it’s unsurfable. Monday the 10th is still big — 8ft SW (energy 3996) — with strong offshore winds that make paddling out a chore. Experts only.
The rest of the second week fades. Tuesday the 11th through Wednesday the 12th is all blown out. Thursday the 13th has some size again — 8ft SW (energy 3600) — but the fresh breeze from the SW keeps it rough. Friday the 14th is similar, and by Saturday the 15th, we’re back to 6ft SW with moderate winds — just okay.
The standout sessions are Thursday the 6th afternoon — glassy, waist-to-chest high SW groundswell, perfect for beginners and intermediates — and Saturday the 8th morning, with clean offshore wind and solid chest-to-head high WSW swell for those with a bit more experience. Water temp is about 59°, which is normal for this time of year, so grab a thick wetsuit.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Fri morning, strong winds from the W by Sun afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 21 | SW 19 | SSW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 215 | 183 | 276 | 751 | 1055 | 1005 | 657 | 592 | 1855 | 1647 | 1049 | 632 | 364 | 362 | 286 | 376 | 399 | 610 | 700 | 917 | 1133 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 3:07PM1.04m | 3:30AM0.57m | 3:28PM1.00m | 3:52AM0.63m | 3:48PM0.94m | 4:17AM0.69m | 4:06PM0.85m | 4:45AM0.76m | 4:21PM0.75m | 5:18AM0.80m | 4:29PM0.65m | 5:59AM0.83m | 4:19PM0.55m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:04PM0.16m | 8:44AM0.20m | 10:14PM0.15m | 9:18AM0.21m | 10:24PM0.15m | 9:54AM0.23m | 10:33PM0.15m | 10:33AM0.28m | 10:42PM0.14m | 11:17AM0.35m | 10:51PM0.12m | 12:14PM0.44m | 11:00PM0.11m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | |  | |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — |
 | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
| kJ | 215 | 183 | 276 | 751 | 1055 | 1005 | 657 | 592 | 427 | 1647 | 1049 | 632 | 364 | 362 | 206 | 200 | 399 | 610 | 700 | 917 | 1133 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 13 | SW 21 | SW 19 | W 7 | W 6 | — | — | — | SW 14 | SSW 18 | — | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SW 19 | SSW 12 | — | W 6 | SW 20 | SW 19 |
| kJ | 44 | 149 | 113 | 18 | 96 | 37 | 20 | — | — | — | 313 | 31 | — | 43 | 286 | 376 | 104 | — | 1 | 60 | 515 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ENE 2 | N 4 | NNW 4 | N 4 | NW 5 | WSW 7 | SW 16 | SW 14 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNE 3 | — | NE 2 |
| kJ | — | — | 1 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 50 | 186 | 1855 | 1402 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 11 | 5 | 2 | — | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 9 | 83 | 7 | 83 | 640 | 161 | 535 | 510 | 356 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Yorke Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Rhino Head Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Rhino Head provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rhino Head can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rhino Head 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 (Rhino Head) 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 Rhino Head 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Yorke Peninsula? If you are looking for accommodation near Rhino Head, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Yorke Peninsula, consider staying in Kingscote which is 75 km (47 miles) away.
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