Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what we’ve got lined up for Rhino Head over the next couple of weeks. It’s a sheltered reef break that’s fairly consistent and works on a SW swell, but we’re starting out with a bit of a flat, frustrating run.

Right now, the first few days are looking pretty grim. Monday the 14th has a tiny, weak 3 ft SW swell with a period of 14 seconds (moderate combined energy of 268), but the wind is a messy cross-offshore and the surf quality is poor. That afternoon bumps to 4 ft but the conditions are still marginal. Honestly, nothing to get excited about.

Tuesday the 15th delivers a bigger push of swell at 6 ft from the SSW with a long 15-second period, and the wave energy is strong (1357). But the wind is cross-onshore and choppy, so it’s a write-off for clean surf. Wednesday and Thursday also suffer from poor to ordinary surf conditions, but keep an eye on Thursday afternoon (17th September). The wind goes completely glassy, and while the swell drops to 3 ft from the SSW (338 combined energy), the clean, glassy surface makes it surfable. Not a standout, but a tiny window of calm.

The first real taste of something better arrives on Sunday the 20th of September. The afternoon sees a solid jump to 7 ft from the WSW, with a period of 14 seconds and strong energy (1740). The wind is cross-offshore and clean. The height is getting into the expert zone, but the conditions are actually decent. This is promising.

Now, here’s the highlight. Monday the 21st of September is our best morning by a long shot. We have a 5 ft SW groundswell with a 12-second period, and the wind is glassy. The combined energy is moderate-high (750). It’s clean, it’s lined up, and the swell direction matches the optimum (SW). This is when Rhino Head will be worth the paddle. The afternoon stays glassy with a drop to 3 ft from the SSW but the period stretches to 16 seconds, so there’ll be longer, cleaner sets.

The rest of the week is a mix of clean but small or ordinary waves. Tuesday the 22nd keeps it clean with offshore winds. Wednesday and Thursday are small but rideable.

But hold onto your board for the 26th of September. Saturday afternoon delivers a solid 7 ft SSW swell with a very long 21-second period. The wave energy is very strong (3811). This is a real groundswell, best for reef setups like Rhino Head, though the long period can make it tricky on the takeoff. The wind is cross-offshore, so it should be clean. That morning is also worth a look with 5 ft and light cross-shore winds.

After that, things go downhill fast. Sunday the 27th and Monday the 28th bring stronger onshore winds (18-22 mph) and messy, poor surf, so not worth the effort. We end the period on Tuesday the 29th with a 5 ft SSW groundswell but cross-onshore chop, so only marginal at best.

One thing to mention: the water temp here is 59°, which is about average for the time of year (anomaly is only 1°), so bring a good spring suit.

Overall, the clear standout is Monday the 21st of September morning. For a bigger, more powerful session, Saturday the 26th afternoon is the one to watch, though that’s over a week out so hold a little caution on the forecast.

Rusty.

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