Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s brewing for Rhino Head. This is a sheltered reef setup, so it needs a solid push of swell from the south-west to get going, and it’s a beginner-friendly wave when it’s small. The water temp is sitting around 59.5°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year – nothing unusual there.

The first few days are a bit of a tease. Thursday morning kicks off with a 3.3ft SSW swell but the wind is a light cross, and the energy is moderate (578). It’s not bad, but it's not calling you out of bed. Thursday afternoon cleans up nicely with a light cross-off breeze and a 3.0ft SSW swell, and the energy climbs a bit (785). That’s the first proper window, but it’s small.

Friday morning pushes up to 4.3ft from the SW with a moderate cross-off, giving clean conditions and decent energy (773). The swell is from a good direction, but the wind is a little fresh. Friday afternoon holds a similar 3.6ft SW swell, though the wind picks up a bit – still clean, but the energy drops a touch (566).

Then Saturday and Sunday get a bit wild. Saturday throws up a 7.2ft to 8.2ft WSW/SW swell, but the wind is howling at 28 mph, and the period drops to 8 seconds on the morning – that’s short-period, wind-affected slop. The energy is high (826 and 1296), but with that much wind and short period, it’s a mess. By Sunday, the swell stays sizeable (7.9ft to 7.2ft) with a longer period (13 seconds) and the wind is fresh to strong from the west, going offshore on the afternoon. That Sunday afternoon session has a solid 7.2ft SW swell, good direction, and clean offshore wind, but the combined energy is massive (2777). This is serious power – too big for beginners, and even for intermediates it’s going to be a handful. The period is 13 seconds, which is proper groundswell, but at a beach-break-type reef, it might be a bit too straight. For expert paddlers, it’s a test.

Monday and Tuesday keep the big swell going. Monday morning has a 7.5ft SW swell with a very long 16-second period, and strong offshore wind (25 mph). The energy is huge (2636), but that wind is so strong it’s going to be hard to paddle into. Monday afternoon improves with a lighter cross-off and 6.6ft SW swell. Tuesday is the real standout: Tuesday morning brings a 7.5ft SSW swell with a 17-second period, and the wind is a moderate cross-off from the SW – that’s clean, and the energy is massive (3288). This is the best combination of size, direction, and clean conditions. Tuesday afternoon holds a 6.9ft SSW swell with a gentle cross-off, and the energy is still huge (2347). The swell direction (SSW) is spot-on for Rhino Head’s optimum SW direction. This is a top-tier window for experienced surfers.

Wednesday through Friday of the next week drop off in quality. Wednesday morning has a 5.6ft SSW swell but the wind turns cross-on, and the energy drops to 1255. It’s not great. By Thursday, it’s down to 3.3ft and 3.0ft with poor wind conditions. Friday brings a 3.9ft SSW swell with a light cross-off in the afternoon, giving a clean but small option.

The second week has a couple of blips. Saturday the 18th has a 5.2ft SW swell with a moderate cross-off and decent energy (1194), but it’s not a standout. Sunday the 19th is messy until the afternoon, when a 5.9ft SW swell with a very long 20-second period appears, and the energy rockets to 3210. That’s a massive groundswell, but the wind is fresh cross-off, and the period is so long it might be tricky on the reef.

Monday the 20th is the last true highlight. The morning has a 5.9ft SSW swell with a gentle cross, but the afternoon is the one: 5.6ft SSW swell, light offshore from the NW, and clean. The energy is solid (1388), and the wind is gentle offshore – that’s about as good as it gets for a smaller, clean session.

Then things taper off. Wednesday the 22nd has a glassy morning with a 4.3ft SSW swell and a 16-second period – that’s a beautiful, clean, small groundswell. The energy is moderate (859). It’s a nice little window for a longboard or a fun board.

The very end of the outlook, on Thursday the 24th, shows a 9.8ft SW swell with a 14-second period and moderate cross

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