Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what we’ve got coming down the line. It’s a solid run of surf ahead, with a couple absolute crackers if you play your cards right.

The main story is a long-lived southwest groundswell that sets in right away and keeps pumping for over a week. The energy builds quick and we’ve got some real heavy water at times, so this isn’t one for the soft-top crew. The biggest call of the whole period is Thursday the 27th afternoon—that’s the standout.

We kick off with Rhino Head this Saturday morning, the 22nd. Clean 6ft SW swell with 15-second period, light cross-off breeze, and a combined energy reading of 1360. The water temp here is sitting at 59°, only 0.5° above normal, about average for this time of year. Saturday afternoon looks just as clean but drops to 5ft. Rhino Head is a sheltered reef break, and winds from the WSW stay cross-off, so the shape should be well groomed.

Sunday morning the 23rd gets a little dicey with a cross-shore wind making things bumpy, but Sunday afternoon swings back clean with 5ft SW groundswell and a period up to 16 seconds, proper long lines. The wind goes light and cross-off from the north. Nice little session if you can grab it.

Monday the 24th is a write-off—rain, onshore winds, weak and messy. Tuesday the 25th is bigger but messy too, with fresh cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions, energy spikes up into the thousands but no quality to go with it. Not worth paddling out.

Now here’s your first real highlight. Wednesday morning the 26th: glassy. A 4ft SW swell with 13-second period, and the combined energy is 425, but with the winds dead calm from the NNW and glassy conditions, this will be a super clean session if you’re after something fun and easy. Not big, but silky smooth.

Thursday the 27th afternoon—remember this one. The swell jumps to 6ft from the SW with a very long 19-second period, the combined energy is 2784, and we’ve got a light north breeze blowing cross-off. Clean, powerful, and lined up. The data says this is for experienced surfers, and I’d back that—this is the pick of the whole run. If you’re competent, don’t miss it.

Friday the 28th holds 5-6ft SW swell but the winds go a little cross-on or cross, so the quality drops off. Still surfable but not the day to book off work.

The next week opens up with glassy conditions again on Sunday the 30th morning—4ft SSW swell, 14-second period, offshore light airs. Calm, clean, small. Then Monday the 31st is another standout: 6ft SSW swell with a 19-second period, combined energy of 2390, and light cross-off from the NNW. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers once more. The afternoon stays clean and offshore from the WNW.

Tuesday the 1st of September and Wednesday the 2nd drop off in size but stay clean, with offshore tendencies—good for a longboard or a fun little cruiser session.

From Thursday the 3rd into the 4th, the wind turns onshore and cross-shore and the quality tanks. Then the weekend of the 5th and 6th sees the swell blow up huge—10ft on Saturday the 5th afternoon, combined energy over 5000—but it’s onshore and choppy, too big for most and messy. Sunday the 6th is still big at 8ft, but the wind goes cross-off and clean, so if you’re an expert and you’re chasing big clean lines, that could be your wildcard.

So to boil it down: Thursday 27th afternoon is the absolute standout—big, clean, long-period groundswell, light offshore breeze, strong energy. Monday 31st runs a close second. For smaller clean fun, Wednesday 26th morning and Sunday 30th morning have glassy, groomed conditions.

Stay safe, read the sets, and I’ll see you in the water.

Rusty.

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