Surf Forecasts:
Rhino Head surf forecast from 16 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 14s period, WSW swell with 1,941 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s 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 17) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 16s period. 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 2.2m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Fri 17th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Fri 17th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about Rhino Head for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a beauty on Thursday afternoon. The ocean is flat calm with glassy conditions, and a solid 5ft groundswell out of the SSW with a very long period of 16 seconds. The energy’s moderate (1081), and the water temp is sitting right on 60°, which is dead average for this time of year. That’s a setup for clean, powerful waves, especially for a sheltered reef break like this. It’s a standout session, no doubt.
Friday morning gets a bit trickier with a cross-shore wind and some chop, but the swell drops to 4ft and the period stays long at 16 seconds. The afternoon cleans up with a light cross-offshore breeze and 4ft swell, still a nice pick if you missed Thursday.
The weekend is small, with Saturday and Sunday dropping to under 3ft. Combined energy is weak, under 300. Not much to write home about, but the light winds on Saturday afternoon might give you a few ripple-able runners. Sunday gets windy, with 12 mph cross-off winds, but the swell is tiny.
Monday afternoon sees a slight pickup with 4ft SSW swell and a clean cross-off breeze, worth a look if you’re desperate.
Then we hit a real gap. From Tuesday morning right through to the following Wednesday morning, there’s a string of days with poor or marginal surf. The energy drops way down, and on the 23rd of July, a big 6ft to 7ft SW swell pops up, but the wind is howling at 22 to 25 mph, making it a write-off for paddle surfing – that’s more kite-surfing territory.
Into the last week of July, things get messy. The 26th and 27th see a return of bigger SSW swell, up to 6ft, with a very long period of 16 seconds, but the wind stays cross or cross-off, and the quality is only marginal. The energy is strong (over 1500), but it’s not coming together cleanly.
The best of the second week? Look at the 29th of July morning. A 4ft SSW swell with 14 second period, a gentle breeze, and clean cross-off wind. It’s a small window of nice surf, but nothing like that Thursday opener.
The very end of the month, the 30th and 31st, has long-period groundswell but the heights are tiny, under 3ft, and the wind is a mess. Not worth the paddle.
Overall, the standout is Thursday 16th July afternoon at Rhino Head. That’s your session. Glassy, 5ft, long period, clean. The rest is patchy, with a big gap in the middle, and only a few marginal days towards the end.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat night, min 12°C on Thu afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun night, min 14°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1081 | 791 | 853 | 657 | 412 | 313 | 246 | 166 | 146 | 252 | 498 | 565 | 590 | 345 | 485 | 503 | 297 | 144 | 70 | 503 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:30AM0.53m | 3:42PM1.12m | 4:06AM0.61m | 4:11PM1.02m | 4:45AM0.67m | 4:36PM0.90m | 5:25AM0.72m | 4:53PM0.77m | 6:08AM0.75m | 4:58PM0.66m | 6:59AM0.76m | 4:25PM0.58m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:20PM0.16m | 8:40AM0.16m | 10:39PM0.17m | 9:28AM0.20m | 10:57PM0.18m | 10:13AM0.27m | 11:14PM0.19m | 10:59AM0.36m | 11:28PM0.20m | 11:50AM0.45m | 11:38PM0.21m | 1:03PM0.53m | 11:42PM0.22m | |||||||
 |  | | |  | | | |  |  | | | |  | | | | |  |  | |
 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — |
 | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 |
| kJ | 1081 | 791 | 853 | 657 | 412 | 313 | 246 | 166 | 146 | 113 | 498 | 565 | 590 | 345 | 485 | 503 | 297 | 144 | 57 | 30 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | SW 22 | SW 20 | SW 18 | WSW 7 | W 7 | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | SSW 13 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 15 | 18 | 97 | 252 | 10 | 27 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | 70 | 21 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 22 | SW 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 18 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 6 | NW 7 | — | — | NW 7 | N 2 | NNW 3 | — | — | — | NNW 2 | N 3 | WNW 5 | W 5 | SW 11 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 21 | — | — | 46 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 37 | 34 | 503 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 132 | 154 | 712 |
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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