Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. This is Rhino Head we're talking about – a sheltered reef break that's best with a SW swell. The water temp is sitting right around average for this time of year, so nothing to worry about there.

We've got a solid run of surf coming up, but it's a bit of a mixed bag if you're not paying attention. The real standout is the first few days. Friday the 21st kicks things off with a clean 5 ft SW groundswell at 14 seconds, and the energy is pumping at 1447. That's proper, meaty swell. The wind is a gentle cross-off from the WSW, so expect clean, lined-up waves. It's a beginner-friendly spot, but with that size, it's a bit more for the intermediates.

Saturday the 22nd keeps the good vibes rolling – similar size, 5 ft to 6 ft, still from the SW, and the wind stays light and cross-off. The energy is solid (1442). Sunday the 23rd is probably the pick of the first weekend. Light NNW breeze, that 5 ft SW groundswell with a 17-second period, and the energy is still up there (1433). It's a long-period groundswell, so it's going to wrap in nicely at this reef, giving you those long, grinding walls. The sets will be a bit more spaced out, making the paddle out easier.

Now, after that initial blast, we hit a bit of a lull. Monday the 24th drops off to 3 ft and the energy fades to 312. It's surfable, but pretty ordinary. Tuesday the 25th is a write-off – strong S winds blowing cross-on, lumpy and choppy. That 6 ft swell is a mess. Wednesday the 26th looks cleaner again as the wind swings offshore from the WNW, but it's a smaller 4 ft swell.

Then we get a bit of a tricky one. Thursday the 27th afternoon is a real standout for experienced surfers. That 6 ft SW swell picks up with a 19-second period and the energy is massive at 2571. The wind is light and cross-off, so the waves will be clean and powerful. This is big, long-period groundswell energy – it's going to be a heavy, demanding wave at Rhino Head. This is not for the faint-hearted.

The end of the month and start of September is a bit of a washout with onshore winds and chop, but then things get interesting again. On Tuesday the 1st of September, we get another pulse of excellent surf for experienced surfers. The morning shows a 6 ft SW groundswell at 17 seconds, energy cranking at 2107, and light cross-off wind. This is another big, clean, powerful day.

The end of the first week of September looks promising. Thursday the 3rd, we're back to very good conditions with a 6 ft SW swell and clean, light winds. But the real cherry on top looks like Friday the 4th of September. The afternoon session has a 7 ft SW groundswell, 17-second period, 2320 energy, and a light WSW offshore breeze. That's the kind of day that makes you want to call in sick. It's a big swell, though, so it's expert territory.

So, to sum it up: the best bets are this weekend (Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd) for clean, fun, mid-sized waves, and then mark your calendar for Thursday the 27th afternoon and Friday the 4th of September afternoon for the heavy, powerful, clean stuff that only the experienced crew should be touching. There's a fair bit of garbage in between, so pick your windows wisely.

Rusty.

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