Rhino Head Surf Break

Lat Long: 35.28° S 136.95° E

Issued: 2 pm 07 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rhino Head sea temperature is
15.5° C

Normal for this time of year

Rhino Head surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Rhino Head surf forecast from 7 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 13 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 17s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 13 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 17s period, SSW swell with 2,862 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 14s period with SSW 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 (Jul 09) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 18s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 3s is also forecast. 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 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 13) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore 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 (Jul 11) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (ACST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)12PM (Thu 9th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 14s
Best Surf 9PM (Mon 13th Jul)6.5ft (2.0m) 17s
Most Powerful 3AM (Mon 13th Jul)7ft (2.2m) 17s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days.


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming up for Rhino Head. This spot is a sheltered reef break, best on a southwest swell, and it’s fairly consistent. Water temp is sitting at 60°F, which is bang on average for this time of year.

The next few days are a write-off. Tuesday afternoon is a bust – cross-on wind, choppy, and the combined energy is weak. Wednesday and Thursday look pretty average too, onshore slop with short-period, wind-affected swell.

Things start to show a pulse from Thursday afternoon, July 9th. The wind swings cross-offshore from the NNW, with a clean 3-foot SSW groundswell rolling in with a long 18-second period. The combined energy is moderate. That’s that first tease of something better.

Friday morning, July 10th, shapes up nicely. You’re looking at 4-foot SW groundswell with a gentle cross-offshore breeze. That’s clean, surfable, and the wave shape should be decent on the reef. The afternoon holds similar, just a touch smaller.

Saturday, July 11th, is a write-off. The swell jumps over 6 feet, but it’s a short-period windswell at 8 seconds and swept by a strong 25 mph wind.

Now, Sunday July 12th is the first real standout. Morning brings a proper offshore wind from the west, blowing straight into the face of a clean 6-foot SW groundswell with a 13-second period. The combined energy is strong. It’s going to be a powerful, walling wave on the reef. That offshore wind is a gift.

Monday July 13th builds on that. The swell pushes to 8 feet from the SSW, with a very long 16-second period. Combined energy is strong. The wind is cross-offshore, so it’s still clean, but at 8 feet, this is expert territory only. The reef will be handling a lot of water with that long period.

Tuesday July 14th is the absolute pick of the bunch. Morning has a clean 5-foot SSW groundswell with a light cross-offshore wind. By the afternoon, the wind drops to dead offshore, a 3 mph sigh from the west. Swell settles to 5 feet with a 16-second period. That will be glassy, lined-up, and perfect for the reef. If you can only surf one day this fortnight, make it Tuesday July 14th.

Wednesday July 15th is a close second. The afternoon session is something special: 4 feet of SSW groundswell with a very long 20-second period. Combined energy is strong – that’s a lot of grunt in a small wave. With a light breeze, that’ll be clean and have plenty of push.

After that, the pattern settles into smaller, clean waves in the 4-foot to 5-foot range for the rest of the week, but the winds get stronger. By the weekend of July 19th and 20th, the wind is howling near gale force, making it ugly and hard to paddle into, even if the swell is there.

So to sum it up: sit tight until Thursday July 9th. The standout windows are Sunday morning July 12th for power, Tuesday July 14th for perfection, and Wednesday afternoon July 15th for that super-long-period glide.

Rusty out.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Sat afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the NW on Fri afternoon, strong winds from the WSW by Sat morning).

Tue
7
Wednesday
8
Thursday
9
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
2
2
1
1
0
1
1
2
1
3
3
3
3
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SW
15
1
SSW
18
1.7
SSW
18
1.5
SSW
16
1.3
SSW
16
1
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
18
1.4
SW
16
1.3
SW
16
1.1
SW
15
1
SW
14
2.1
SW
8
2.3
SW
10
2.1
SW
13
1.9
SW
13
1.9
SW
12
2.1
SW
17
2.3
SSW
16
2.1
SSW
16
1.8
SSW
17
1.6
SSW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
544
673
1837
1214
768
443
486
906
853
566
412
517
1047
1521
1154
1083
2512
2799
2262
1932
1289
Wind (km/h)
20
ENE
20
ENE
15
ENE
10
E
10
NE
10
NNE
10
NNW
15
N
15
NW
20
NW
25
NW
40
WSW
35
WSW
30
WSW
35
W
35
WSW
25
WSW
25
WSW
25
SW
15
SW
10
WSW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
5:03PM0.75m
6:51AM0.71m
5:04PM0.64m
8:06AM0.78m
9:43AM0.87m
11:10AM0.97m
12:14PM1.07m
1:22AM0.26m
1:06PM1.16m
1:50AM0.30m
Low Tide
11:54PM0.26m
12:23PM0.52m
00:07AM0.25m
00:21AM0.23m
00:38AM0.23m
1:01AM0.23m
9:31PM0.21m
3:57AM0.24m
9:29PM0.18m
5:42AM0.21m
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
light rain
cloud
cloud
light rain
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:30
7:30
7:30
7:30
7:28
7:28
7:28
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:22
5:22
5:23
5:23
5:24
5:24
5:25
5:27
 mm
3
2
1
Temp °C
14
13
14
14
14
14
14
14
15
14
14
13
13
14
14
14
14
14
13
14
14
Feels °C
10
9
11
12
12
12
12
12
12
10
10
5
5
7
7
7
8
8
8
10
12
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SW
15
1
SSW
18
1.7
SSW
18
1.5
SSW
16
1.3
SSW
16
1
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
18
1.4
SW
16
1.3
SW
16
1.1
SW
15
1
SW
14
1
SSW
13
0.2
SSW
21
2.1
SW
17
2.3
SSW
16
2.1
SSW
16
1.8
SSW
17
1.6
SSW
16
Energy kJ
544
673
1837
1214
768
443
486
906
853
566
412
341
43
2512
2799
2262
1932
1289
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
SSW
15
0.4
SW
20
0.9
SW
14
0.1
S
21
0.2
SSW
18
0.7
W
8
Energy kJ
372
97
297
9
31
61
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
Energy kJ
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
E
4
0.4
E
3
0.4
ENE
3
0.3
ENE
3
0.2
ENE
2
0.2
ENE
3
0.2
NNE
3
0.4
NNW
3
0.5
NW
4
0.7
W
4
2.1
SW
8
2.3
SW
10
2.1
SW
13
1.9
SW
13
1.9
SW
12
1.4
SW
13
0.9
WSW
5
1.4
SW
16
Energy kJ
7
3
3
2
1
1
1
4
7
20
517
1047
1521
1154
1083
701
47
929
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
5
4
4
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
3
3
1
1
5
5
2
3
3
Distance (km)
12
9
9
9
7
5
0
0
0
5
5
1028
723
723
1180
1189
161
712
1180
0
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Yorke Peninsula
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
5
4
4
4
4
2
2
4
2
5
4
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
7
6
6
4
4
5
5
4
3
4
4
6
5
4
9
8
5
5
5
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
9
8
7
7
7
6
6
6
5
5
5
5
5
6
8
6
5
5
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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