Rhino Head Surf Break

Lat Long: 35.28° S 136.95° E

Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 2 pm 15 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rhino Head sea temperature is
14.9° C
0.4° 

Rhino Head surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Rhino Head surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 15s period, SW swell with 3,720 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period with SW 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Rhino Head in the next 16 days are 3.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 12PM.

Wave TypeTime (ACST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Wed 19th Aug)2.5ft (0.8m) 14s
Best Surf12AM (Fri 21st Aug)4.5ft (1.3m) 16s
Most Powerful 9AM (Sat 22nd Aug)10ft (3.0m) 15s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, friends, Rusty here. Let's talk about the stretch ahead. It’s a bit of a slow burner, so strap in. We’ve got a lot of flat, junky days before things finally wake up.

The first week and a half? Honestly, it’s pretty grim. The good news is that Rhino Head is a fairly consistent reef, so it never truly goes to zero, but the swell is weak and the wind is messy. We’re looking at a run of seriously poor surf quality right through the 20th. The energy is weak, the period is all over the place, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-shore, chopping everything up. There are some clean windows with the offshore flow on the 19th, but the swell is just too small to get excited about. For a beginner-friendly spot like this, it’s going to be a frustrating week.

Now, the first real glimmer of hope arrives on Thursday the 20th. The wind swings offshore, light, and the ocean turns clean. Swell is still small, but there’s a little more push. We’re talking maybe 4ft of SSW swell with a solid 16-second period. The energy is moderate, and the conditions are looking clean. After a week of onshores, that’s a beautiful sight. It’s not huge, but it’s surfable and clean. Crowds are a possibility at Rhino Head, so if you can get out there when the tide’s right, you might have a few friends out.

Then it gets interesting. The 21st brings a fresh offshore, but the swell jumps and the wind cranks up to a near gale by the afternoon, and that big 8ft SW swell is just going to be a mess of wind. Not really a surf day.

The real standout is Saturday the 22nd. That’s the one. The ocean is going to have some serious power. We’re looking at 10ft of SSW swell with a 15-second period, which is solid groundswell. The energy is through the roof – this is strong, powerful stuff. The problem is the wind is a fresh cross-shore, making it a lumpy, choppy mess in the morning. It’ll be big, and it’ll be heavy. For the experts out there, it might be a full-on mission, but for the average punter, this is a day to watch from the cliff. That size is way over the limit for beginners, and honestly, it’s only for the experienced crew. Afternoon cleans up a bit with a cross-off, but it’s still 8ft.

The next real window of opportunity is Sunday the 23rd. The swell eases to a more manageable 6ft, but the morning has a moderate offshore wind, and the forecast is calling for very good surf conditions. The energy is strong. This might be the pick of the bunch for most people – it's big enough to be fun, but not so big that it’s terrifying. Good waves, clean faces, and that SW direction is right in the optimum zone for Rhino Head. The afternoon gets a bit cross-off, but still clean.

After that, the swell hangs around in the 5ft to 7ft range, but the wind turns messy again. Cross-onshore, cross-shore, it all gets a bit choppy. There’s a special little window on Tuesday afternoon the 25th – glassy conditions, light wind, and 5ft of SSW swell. That could be a sneaky good session. But for the most part, the last week of the month is a mixed bag.

So, to sum it up: the standout is definitely the 23rd, with the 20th and maybe the 25th afternoon as solid, smaller options. The 22nd is for the big-wave chargers only. Don’t get too attached to the long-range stuff; it’s promising but we’ve got a lot of ocean to cross before then.

Rusty, out.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Thu morning, strong winds from the WNW by Fri morning).

Sat
15
Sunday
16
Monday
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
2
3
2
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.5
SSW
16
1.3
SSW
15
1.2
SSW
14
1.2
SSW
14
1.1
SW
14
1.2
SW
16
1.2
SW
16
1.1
SW
15
1.1
SW
17
0.9
SSW
16
0.7
SW
16
0.8
SW
15
0.8
SW
14
0.8
SW
14
1.1
SW
16
1.1
SW
16
1.3
SW
16
1.4
SW
14
2.5
SW
16
2.5
SW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1098
711
561
553
463
748
729
489
687
458
251
266
251
231
636
628
897
752
3193
2945
Wind (km/h)
20
ESE
25
E
20
ESE
25
ESE
15
E
15
ESE
20
E
25
NE
25
NNE
20
NNE
30
N
35
WNW
35
W
20
W
10
WNW
15
WNW
15
NW
35
NW
50
WSW
40
SW
Wind State
on
on
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
3:45AM0.75m
3:46PM0.86m
4:14AM0.81m
4:04PM0.76m
4:43AM0.83m
4:16PM0.66m
5:12AM0.83m
4:16PM0.57m
5:43AM0.79m
3:52PM0.52m
6:19AM0.74m
1:59PM0.52m
Low Tide
9:50PM0.09m
9:36AM0.13m
10:03PM0.08m
10:14AM0.18m
10:15PM0.08m
10:49AM0.25m
10:25PM0.09m
11:23AM0.34m
10:31PM0.11m
12:00PM0.43m
10:32PM0.12m
1:14PM0.52m
10:26PM0.13m
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
rain showers
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:03
7:01
7:00
6:58
6:58
6:56
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:49
5:50
5:51
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:53
 mm
4
2
Temp °C
13
13
13
13
12
15
15
13
15
16
16
14
14
14
14
14
13
14
12
12
Feels °C
9
8
8
7
7
11
11
8
11
12
11
8
7
9
11
10
10
5
2
1
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  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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