
Surf Forecasts:
Rhino Head surf forecast from 26 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 13s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 29 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with 3,241 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 12s 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 Sunday (Jul 26) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 15s. 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 2.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day window is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a run of days with surf, but you’re gonna have to pick your moments carefully. The wind is the main issue, it’s gonna be howling for a lot of it. The first proper session that catches my eye isn’t until later, so don’t rush out the door just yet.
Alright, let’s start at Rhino Head (West Coast). This is a sheltered reef break that works best with a SW swell, and it’s a beginner-friendly spot that breaks fairly consistently. For Sunday the 26th, we’ve got a 3-foot SW groundswell with a long 12-second period, combined wave energy sitting at a weak 270. Wind is clean and offshore from the WNW at 9 mph, so it’ll be glassy and nice. Water temp is 59°F, which is only 0.4°F off normal for this time of year, so pretty average for the season. It’s surfable but the size is tiny.
Monday the 27th is a write-off. Morning and afternoon both get smashed with fresh to strong breezes over 18 mph and the surf is poor. Tuesday the 28th gets interesting but dangerous: a 7 to 8-foot SW swell rolls in, long period of 14-15 seconds, and the combined energy jumps massively to 2102 and 2824 (moderate to strong). This is expert territory now – way too big for beginners. The problem is strong cross-off winds at 25-28 mph, so it’s gonna be messy and blown out. Wednesday the 29th drops back a touch with 6 to 7-foot SSW swell, but the wind is cross-shore and lumpy. Conditions stay poor to marginal.
Thursday the 30th through Friday the 31st is a drop-off. Swell falls to 2–4 feet with weak energy under 500, and light cross-shore winds create small ripples. It’s flat and poor.
Now, Saturday the 1st of August shows a bit of hope. A 3–3-foot SW groundswell rolls in, but the period is very long at 17 to 20 seconds. Energy is moderate at 400 to 719. Winds are light to moderate cross-off from the north, so it stays clean. The catch: a 20-second period at a beach-friendly reef break means the waves will be super lined-up and straight, not ideal for this setup. Still, a clean wave is a clean wave.
Sunday the 2nd of August is rough again. Swell builds to 4–5 feet, but strong offshore winds of 25 mph blow hard offshore – clean but so strong you’ll struggle to paddle out (combined energy 1005–1049, moderate). Monday the 3rd is similar: 6–7-foot SW swell with strong cross-off winds. Tuesday the 4th quiets down – a 3–4-foot SW swell, light winds, and clean conditions. The energy drops to 439–525. It’s marginal but the first real chance for a beginner to get a few.
THE STANDOUT comes on Wednesday the 5th of August. Morning brings a 5-foot SSW groundswell, 16-second period, combined energy of 1034 (moderate), and glassy light winds from the WSW at just 3 mph. This is clean, the swell has good length, and it’s not too big. Crowds can sometimes be an issue at Rhino Head, so getting in early is a good idea. This is the best session on offer for the whole window.
After that, conditions slide. Thursday the 6th goes cross-shore and weak. Friday the 7th is poor with lumpy cross-shore winds. Saturday the 8th has a 4–5-foot SW swell and moderate clean wind but only marginal quality. Sunday the 9th is flat and cross-shore again.
The final note: Monday the 10th of August brings a big pulse. A 6 to 10-foot SSW to SW swell with a 19-20 second period and combined energy through the roof at 4083 and 6829 (very strong). This is a huge groundswell. The wind, though, is a strong cross-shore and cross-off at 25 mph. It’s going to be a heavy, raw, and messy day – only for the most experienced, and even then, that strong cross-shore wind will make it a battle. Could be more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on that afternoon.
Overall, the standout window is Wednesday the 5th of August. Late July and early August have a few clean moments, but the wind is the boss, and most days are marginal or poor. Still, the reef can hold, and if you get that Wednesday morning glass-off, you’ll score.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Sun afternoon, strong winds from the WSW by Tue afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 10 | WSW 12 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 20 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
224 | 161 | 299 | 177 | 972 | 2102 | 2824 | 3241 | 2096 | 1261 | 743 | 465 | 357 | 215 | 170 | 156 | 209 | 355 | 388 | 1235 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:24PM0.96m | 2:45AM0.37m | 1:54PM1.01m | 2:43AM0.41m | 2:20PM1.04m | 2:54AM0.45m | 2:44PM1.05m | 3:10AM0.51m | 3:07PM1.04m | 3:30AM0.57m | 3:28PM1.00m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 9:39PM0.22m | 9:34PM0.20m | 6:03AM0.32m | 9:37PM0.19m | 6:55AM0.27m | 9:44PM0.17m | 7:35AM0.24m | 9:54PM0.16m | 8:10AM0.21m | 10:04PM0.16m | 8:44AM0.20m | 10:14PM0.15m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | |
5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 10 | WSW 12 | — | — | SW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 17 |
224 | 161 | 299 | 177 | 972 | — | — | 3241 | 2096 | 1261 | 743 | 465 | 357 | 215 | 170 | 156 | 154 | 355 | 322 | 1235 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | — | SSW 14 | — | — | — | — | SW 15 | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | SW 23 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 22 | SW 20 | W 5 |
34 | 56 | — | 73 | — | — | — | — | 380 | 84 | 44 | — | — | 20 | 44 | 149 | 209 | 45 | 388 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 13 | NE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 23 | — | — | — | — | WNW 5 | — |
— | — | 28 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 6 | WNW 6 | NNW 4 | NW 5 | W 6 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | S 3 | — | — | — | — | ESE 3 | ENE 3 | NNE 3 | NE 2 | N 3 | NNW 4 | N 4 |
12 | 11 | 17 | 45 | 80 | 2102 | 2824 | 2911 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 7 | 154 | 468 | 155 | 1033 | 1182 | 44 | 11 | 44 | 11 | 11 | 30 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 83 | 7 | 83 |
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.










