
Surf Forecasts:
Rhino Head surf forecast from 4 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 8 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 18s period, SSW swell with 1,880 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s 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 1.0m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 20s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rhino Head in the next 16 days are 1.7m 18s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 08) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 11) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Wed 8th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 18s |
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 talk about what’s on the menu for Rhino Head over the next couple of weeks.
Straight up, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first few days are pretty much a write-off. Sunday the 5th and Monday the 6th are a no-go with choppy, onshore slop and very poor surf. The swell is there, but the wind has it all messed up. We’re looking at a gap of several days with nothing worth paddling out for.
Things start to show a pulse of life on Wednesday the 8th. It’s still only marginal, so keep your expectations in check. The morning sees a 5ft SSW swell at 18 seconds with a light cross breeze. The combined energy is moderate at 1841. It’s not clean, but there’s some push.
Thursday the 9th afternoon is a real tease. It goes glassy with a 3ft SSW groundswell at 15 seconds, and the energy is still moderate at 545. That’s the first time conditions look clean, but the swell is tiny.
Friday the 10th and Saturday the 11th see cleaner conditions but the wind is either too light or too strong, so the surf quality remains poor or marginal.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Monday the 13th is the standout of the whole outlook. The morning has a clean 5ft SSW swell at 14 seconds with a moderate offshore wind from the WNW. The energy is moderate at 1829. But the afternoon is the true gem: a 7ft SSW groundswell at a very long 19 seconds, with that same offshore wind. The combined wave energy jumps to 3698, which is strong. This is excellent, powerful surf for experienced surfers. The long period will make it break beautifully at this reef, with long, clean walls and good gaps between sets. It’s a big setup, so if you’re not confident on a bigger wave, give it a miss.
Tuesday the 14th holds okay but with a fresher offshore breeze, and Wednesday the 15th stays clean with a 6ft SSW swell.
Looking further out, Sunday the 19th is another real humdinger. The morning kicks off with a light breeze and a 5ft SSW groundswell at a very long 17 seconds, giving a strong 2214 energy reading. Then the afternoon turns into a monster: a 8ft SW swell at 17 seconds with a gentle offshore wind, and the energy rockets to 4369 – that’s very strong. This is another session for the experienced crew only. Perfect conditions, but that size and power demands respect.
Monday the 20th morning still has size at 7ft but the wind goes cross-shore, making it a bit bumpy again.
So overall, the best windows are the afternoon of Monday the 13th and the morning and afternoon of Sunday the 19th. The rest is mostly marginal or flat. For the water temps, they’re sitting about average for this time of year, nothing weird.
This is Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue night, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 5 | Monday 6 | Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Sat 11 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
656 | 1438 | 1042 | 604 | 330 | 233 | 131 | 436 | 537 | 572 | 1837 | 1214 | 832 | 443 | 372 | 917 | 842 | 543 | 407 | 1099 | 959 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:36AM0.55m | 4:28PM0.96m | 5:12AM0.60m | 4:48PM0.86m | 5:55AM0.65m | 5:03PM0.75m | 6:51AM0.71m | 5:04PM0.64m | 8:06AM0.78m | 9:43AM0.87m | 11:10AM0.97m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 11:15PM0.25m | 9:34AM0.31m | 11:30PM0.26m | 10:15AM0.36m | 11:42PM0.26m | 11:07AM0.44m | 11:54PM0.26m | 12:23PM0.52m | 00:07AM0.25m | 00:21AM0.23m | 00:38AM0.23m | ||||||||||
— | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | |
— | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Temp °C | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
656 | 1438 | 1042 | 604 | 330 | 233 | 131 | 436 | 537 | 435 | 1837 | 1214 | 832 | 443 | 372 | 917 | 842 | 543 | 407 | 200 | 418 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 20 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 18 | — | — | SSW 18 | — | — | — | ENE 3 | SW 19 | — | W 4 | — | — | — | — |
136 | — | — | — | — | — | 121 | — | — | 572 | — | — | — | 1 | 173 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 4 | E 4 | E 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | E 3 | E 4 | E 4 | ENE 3 | NE 3 | NE 3 | NE 2 | — | — | — | NNW 2 | NW 4 | WNW 5 | SW 14 | SW 12 |
6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 10 | 28 | 1099 | 959 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 67 | 723 | 743 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Yorke Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











