Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Rhino Head. This is a sheltered reef break, so it needs a solid push from the southwest to really get going, and we’ve got a window of that coming up. The water’s sitting at 59°F right now, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real action kicks off on Wednesday morning, the 12th of August. We’ve got a big 8ft SW groundswell rolling in with a very long 17-second period. The energy is strong (5082), but the wind is a cross-off at 15 mph, which keeps it ridable. It’s a little raw and the forecast says marginal, so it’s more for the keen crew than a perfect session.

Thursday, the 13th, sees the swell ease a touch to 7ft from the SSW, still with a long 16-second period. The wind drops to a gentle 9 mph cross-off, cleaning things up. It’s solid, but still a bit on the meaty side for a beginner.

Now, Friday morning, the 14th of August, is where it gets good. The swell drops to 6ft from the SSW, but the wind goes glassy. That’s a major positive. The setup is clean, the energy is still moderate (1832), and the conditions are looking very good. This is a standout for the week if you want pristine, lined-up waves without the wind hassle. Expect a bit of a wait between sets with that 16-second period, but the paddle out will be easy.

Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th are a write-off. The wind swings onshore from the ESE, blowing the bump into the faces. The swell drops under 5ft, and the energy falls away. It’s a real shame after that Friday glass-off.

The entire following week, from the 17th through the 20th, is pretty grim. Onshore winds and a shrinking swell keep the scores low. We’re looking at a 4-day gap of poor surf before things look up again.

The next real chance comes on Friday, the 21st of August. The swell builds back to 6ft from the SW with a 12-second period. The wind is a light cross-off from the NNW, and the energy is back up to 1204. The forecast is very good. This is the second standout of the run. It’s a cleaner, more powerful wave than the glassy Friday before, and the offshore flow will keep it groomed.

Saturday the 22nd gets a bit tricky. It’s a 6ft SW swell with a strong offshore wind from the WNW, but the wind is gusty at 15 mph. It’ll be clean but maybe a bit bumpy.

Sunday the 23rd is worth a mention for the afternoon. The wind goes offshore from the WNW again, and the 4ft SW swell has a very long 18-second period. The energy is moderate (1148) and the forecast is very good. This is a quieter, more refined day for the point break crew.

The last big push comes on Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th. We see a 8ft to 8ft SW swell with strong energy (2328). The wind is fresh from the NW and WNW. This is solid, powerful, and big. For the average surfer, this is getting into expert territory, but for the experienced crew, it’s a proper session. The wind is clean, but it’s a strong breeze, so factor that in.

The window closes out on Wednesday the 26th with a 6ft SW swell and light winds, and then a 5ft on the afternoon with a clean cross-off, again a very good wave. The last good look is on the 27th, but it’s dropping off.

So, the two best bets are Friday morning the 14th for that glassy, clean 6ft, and then Friday the 21st for the punchier 6ft with the cross-off. Everything else is a trade-off between size, wind, and crowds.

Rusty out.

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