
Surf Forecasts:
Rhino Head surf forecast from 12 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 15s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 14 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 17s period, SW swell with 3,695 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 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 Wednesday (Jul 15) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rhino Head in the next 16 days are 2.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Monday (Jul 20) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Tue 14th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days.
Right, gather 'round, folks. Rusty here. Gotta say, this stretch has got some life in it, but it's not all plain sailing. We're looking at a solid 16 days of potential, and while the start is a bit slow, there's a real standout session that's got my blood pumping.
The Outlook
Alright, we're kicking off at Rhino Head. This is a sheltered reef break, so it doesn't need a massive ocean to work. For the first part of the run, we're looking at a lot of "marginal" surf. The wave energy is up there, with a combined swell reading of 4158 (that's strong, very strong), but the wind is a problem. Monday's got a fresh 19 mph offshore breeze, which keeps it clean, but the swell is at 8 ft from the SW with a long 16-second period. That's a lot of water for a beginner spot, and the tide or some other factor is making it a bit of a dodgy affair. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Monday and Tuesday are going to be a bit of a grind. The swell stays over 7 ft from the SSW, with that same long period, and the wind is more cross-off. It's clean, but the energy is high (2975 on Tuesday morning) and the quality is just not there. It feels like it's going to be a lot of work for not a lot of reward.
Then, Wednesday morning, July 15th – that's the one. The wind swings to a glassy NNE at 3 mph, and the swell drops to a much more manageable 5 ft from the SSW. The period is still a long 15 seconds, which is great for a reef like this, giving you proper, lined-up waves. The combined energy is down to 1014, a nice moderate level. This is the standout. It's clean, glassy, and the conditions are described as "expect very good surf conditions." This is the window. The afternoon is glassy again, but the swell drops a touch, so morning is the go.
The rest of the week is a bit of a mixed bag. The wind gets a bit messy, and the swell drops off. By Saturday, July 18th, the swell is down to 3 ft, and the combined energy is a weak 277. The next few days after that are just poor. The wind is up, the swell is small, and it's a write-off. There's a long gap of a few days here with nothing to recommend.
But hold on, because on Friday, July 24th, the swell starts to build again. We're seeing 6 ft from the SW, with a 17-second period and a combined energy of 1795. The wind is cross-off, but the models are calling it "marginal" again. Saturday, July 25th, the wind is up to 25 mph, which is going to be a battle. The swell is at 6 ft, but with that wind, it's going to be a tough paddle. The last few days of the forecast show a similar story: strong wind, solid swell, but the quality is just not there to make it a top pick. It's big, but it's not clean.
So, the verdict? The clear winner is Wednesday morning, July 15th at Rhino Head. It's got the best of everything: glassy conditions, a clean swell from the right direction, and a manageable size. If you can get out there, go. After that, it's a bit of a waiting game. The end of the window on the 24th and 26th shows promise, but the wind is a big question mark. The swell is solid, but it might be more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle-in session if the wind doesn't play ball.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Wed afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Mon morning, calm by Wed afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat night, min 12°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
3098 | 3177 | 3695 | 2599 | 2007 | 1288 | 1014 | 857 | 701 | 656 | 1094 | 811 | 843 | 684 | 407 | 268 | 208 | 166 | 97 | 323 | 813 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:06PM1.16m | 1:50AM0.30m | 1:51PM1.21m | 2:20AM0.37m | 2:32PM1.22m | 2:54AM0.45m | 3:09PM1.19m | 3:30AM0.53m | 3:42PM1.12m | 4:06AM0.61m | 4:11PM1.02m | 4:45AM0.67m | 4:36PM0.90m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:29PM0.18m | 5:42AM0.21m | 9:42PM0.16m | 6:52AM0.17m | 10:00PM0.16m | 7:50AM0.15m | 10:20PM0.16m | 8:40AM0.16m | 10:39PM0.17m | 9:28AM0.20m | 10:57PM0.18m | 10:13AM0.27m | 11:14PM0.19m | ||||||||
7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | |
— | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
Feels °C | 9 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 18 | SW 16 |
870 | 892 | 3301 | 2599 | 2007 | 1288 | 1014 | 857 | 701 | 656 | 1094 | 811 | 843 | 684 | 407 | 268 | 208 | 166 | 90 | 323 | 813 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 20 | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 18 | — | — | NE 4 | NW 7 | WNW 7 | — | S 22 | SW 20 | SW 12 | W 8 |
190 | — | — | 376 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 123 | — | — | 4 | 24 | 9 | — | 9 | 97 | 95 | 45 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 22 | SW 15 | WNW 5 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 56 | 4 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | — | W 8 | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | — | — | NE 3 | NE 4 | NNE 2 | N 3 | N 3 | N 3 | N 3 | NNW 4 | NNE 3 |
3098 | 3177 | 3695 | — | 103 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1028 | 1233 | 723 | 724 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 83 | 83 | 67 | 7 |
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.










