
Surf Forecasts:
Rhino Head surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 15s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 9 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 19s period, SSW swell with 4,020 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 15s 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rhino Head in the next 16 days are 2.4m 19s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Wed 9th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the noise and have a look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up for Rhino Head. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s take it day by day.
The early window is pretty grim, to be honest. There’s surf on the charts for Thursday afternoon but the conditions are marginal and not worth getting excited about. We’re looking at a clean 7ft of southwest swell, but the cross-offshore breeze and questionable tide mean it’s a miss. We’ll see a bit more energy push through Friday morning (2153 combined energy), but again, the light rain and onshore/cross-shore winds keep things messy. The swell is there, around 7ft, but the quality just isn't. We then get a proper pulse of energy on Saturday with a 10ft swell, but that comes with a strong 45 km/h cross-offshore wind, which is going to make it a blown-out mess, not to mention way too big for the beginners. Sunday morning (6th) is the first real standout. It’s glassy, with a light 5 km/h wind, and a clean 6ft of southwest swell with a 13-second period. The energy is moderate (1021) but the conditions are gonna be prime. That’s the one to circle.
Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th are a write-off with onshore winds and weak surf. Tuesday afternoon does show some potential with a clean 5ft from the southwest, but it’s pretty weak energy (1300) and comes with a gentle cross-offshore breeze. It’s a maybe. From Wednesday the 9th through the weekend, we’re looking at a mix of strong winds and messy cross-shore conditions. The swell is there – even showing some solid energy readings like 4057 on Wednesday afternoon – but the onshore wind will kill it. It’s just not going to be any good for paddling. We get a brief window early on Monday the 14th with a 6ft southwest swell and clean conditions, but the 30 km/h wind is going to be a factor. The real gem in the second week is Tuesday morning the 15th. It’s a strong offshore breeze from the northwest (40 km/h), with a clean 5ft of swell. It’ll be clean and lined up, but that wind is going to make it hard to paddle into. That’s one for the more experienced crew.
The long-range stuff, like the 17th and 18th, is looking promising on paper but with plenty of caveats. We see a bigger 7ft southwest groundswell on Thursday the 17th, but those cross-shore winds will make it lumpy. Friday afternoon the 18th looks like the last chance to get something clean, with a 4ft southwest swell and a light cross-offshore breeze, but it’s weak energy. It's a promising end to the run, but a week out, you gotta take it with a grain of salt.
As for the standout, it’s Sunday morning the 6th. That 6ft southwest swell with 13-second period and zero wind is going to be glassy, fun, and have some push to it. The other one to keep an eye on is early Tuesday the 15th, but that's only if you're comfortable paddling into a strong offshore.
Otherwise, it’s a wait-and-see game. The first week is a struggle, but the second half has a couple of windows of opportunity. Mind you, the water temp is about average for the time of year, and with that southwest-sheltered reef, it’ll hold the swell when the winds do their job. It’s not going to be flat for long, that’s for sure.
Take care of yourselves out there.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the W on Fri night, calm by Sat night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the SE by Tue night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 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) | SW 14 | SW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 19 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1604 | 2120 | 2151 | 1699 | 1056 | 1462 | 1818 | 1564 | 1021 | 810 | 471 | 282 | 261 | 819 | 1607 | 1286 | 945 | 2141 | 4020 | 3164 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | on | on | on | on | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 3:53PM0.51m | 5:20AM0.90m | 3:32PM0.45m | 6:08AM0.84m | 7:40AM0.76m | 11:29AM0.78m | 12:33PM0.85m | 2:08AM0.36m | 1:12PM0.89m | 1:56AM0.47m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 9:58PM0.00m | 12:03PM0.37m | 10:08PM0.00m | 10:11PM0.02m | 9:54PM0.06m | 9:04PM0.10m | 8:31PM0.11m | 6:00AM0.26m | 8:23PM0.10m | |||||||||||
— | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 19 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 |
1604 | 2120 | 2151 | 1699 | 1056 | 109 | 499 | 1564 | 1021 | 810 | 471 | 282 | 261 | 819 | 1607 | 1286 | 945 | 2141 | 4020 | 3164 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | — | — | SW 20 | — | SW 14 | S 23 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SW 13 | — | — | SSW 26 | SSW 22 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 60 | — | 529 | 10 | 44 | 166 | 241 | — | — | 131 | 1133 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 3 | N 3 | W 5 | SW 10 | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | S 3 | SE 4 | SE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 4 | SE 5 | SE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 |
— | — | 2 | 7 | 60 | 1462 | 1818 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 10 | 47 | 24 | 14 | 30 | 31 | 37 | 50 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 733 | 0 | 41 | 83 | 723 | 1089 | 1190 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 743 | 1219 | 1605 | 28 |
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.










