Surf Forecasts:
Rhino Head surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 31 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 19s period, SSW swell with 2,411 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 26 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s 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 Wednesday (Aug 26) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rhino Head in the next 16 days are 1.8m 19s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 6AM. 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 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Rhino Head has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.
First up, the water’s sitting at 59°F, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there.
Honestly, the start of this period is a bit of a write-off. Monday and Tuesday are a mess – onshore winds, lumpy chop, and the wave quality is just poor. We’re looking at a couple of days where you’re better off doing something else.
Things start to turn around on Wednesday the 26th. The morning is looking clean with light cross-offshore breezes from the NNW. Swell is a small 4ft from the SW with a moderate 13-second period, and the energy is moderate (475). It’s not going to blow your mind, but it’s surfable and clean. The afternoon stays clean, but drops off a touch.
Thursday the 27th stays clean but the swell drops right down to 3ft, though there’s a weird spike in period to 19 seconds in the afternoon, which brings the energy up (930). That long period means it’s going to be a bit fat and maybe a bit straight for a beach break, but at Rhino Head, a sheltered reef setup, that long-period groundswell might actually line up nicely. Still, the size is tiny.
Friday the 28th sees a bump in size to 5ft from the SSW with a 16-second period, but the wind goes cross-shore and it gets a bit chopped out. Surfable, but not special.
The real standout, and I mean the one you’ve been waiting for, lands on Monday the 31st of August. We’ve got a solid 6ft SSW groundswell with a very long 18-second period – that’s serious energy (2094) and it’s going to be glassy in the morning. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The wind is dead calm, the water will be like glass. It’s a reef break, so those long-period lines will wrap in nicely. This is the session to circle.
The afternoon stays clean with offshore breezes, 6ft, still pumping. The 1st of September keeps things tidy with clean 4ft to 4ft SW swell and light winds.
There’s a bit of a lull through the 2nd and 3rd, but the 4th of September brings clean conditions and a 5ft SW swell with offshore WNW winds in the morning. That’s a solid day for a paddle.
Now, looking further out, the 8th of September – that’s over a week away – the models are hinting at something big. A 10ft SSW groundswell with an 18-second period and fresh offshore winds. The energy is extreme (4689). This is a big, powerful groundswell. For Rhino Head, that’s the perfect recipe for a bomb, but at that size, it’s strictly for the experienced crew. The waves will be meaty and powerful. It’s a long-range call, so don’t book the week off just yet, but it’s got serious potential.
Overall, the best bet is Monday the 31st of August for the glassy perfection and Monday the 8th of September for the raw power.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Mon morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Mon night, calm by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu night, min 14°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
297 | 194 | 357 | 1356 | 1142 | 648 | 444 | 331 | 139 | 272 | 546 | 1925 | 1419 | 1115 | 543 | 401 | 295 | 199 | 251 | 312 | 848 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | off | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 12:56PM0.79m | 3:38AM0.37m | 1:22PM0.86m | 2:36AM0.40m | 1:44PM0.90m | 2:26AM0.46m | 2:05PM0.93m | 2:32AM0.53m | 2:25PM0.93m | 2:45AM0.61m | 2:45PM0.90m | 3:02AM0.70m | 3:05PM0.85m | 3:22AM0.78m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:15PM0.15m | 5:30AM0.36m | 9:03PM0.14m | 6:37AM0.29m | 8:59PM0.13m | 7:15AM0.22m | 9:00PM0.11m | 7:48AM0.16m | 9:04PM0.10m | 8:19AM0.12m | 9:11PM0.08m | 8:51AM0.09m | 9:19PM0.07m | ||||||||
6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | |
— | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | |
mm | 6 | 11 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 7 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | E 4 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 19 | SSW 16 |
297 | 194 | 2 | 248 | 334 | 648 | 444 | 331 | 139 | 272 | 384 | 1925 | 1419 | 1115 | 543 | 401 | 295 | 199 | 147 | 312 | 848 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | SW 19 | E 4 | — | — | — | SSW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 21 | SW 19 | — | NNW 5 | NE 4 | NW 7 | W 9 | SW 23 | SW 21 | SSW 19 | SSW 12 | SSW 21 |
2 | 57 | 1 | — | — | — | 31 | 67 | 86 | 116 | 546 | — | 3 | 5 | 7 | 58 | 21 | 116 | 251 | 96 | 698 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 20 | — | ENE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 24 | — | — | — | — | NNW 4 | — | — | S 20 | SW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 16 | — |
15 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 8 | 71 | 37 | 98 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 3 | E 4 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | — | — | — | — | N 3 | N 4 | NE 3 | NE 4 | NE 3 | — | — | — | ESE 2 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | SE 3 |
2 | 11 | 357 | 1356 | 1142 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 12 | 178 | 658 | 44 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 83 | 83 | 9 | 83 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 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.











