
Surf Forecasts:
Rhino Head surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 14 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 17s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, SW swell with 6,171 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 16s 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 Sunday (Aug 09) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 21s. 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 19s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Fri 14th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rhino Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Rhino Head. We’ve got a pretty solid run of surf coming up, but it’s not all clean sailing. There’s a big, powerful swell due early next week, but it comes with some nasty wind – we’ll have to pick our moments.
The action kicks off Saturday afternoon, the 8th of August. The first surf we see is a bit of a tease – a clean 5ft SW groundswell (period 15 seconds) with a moderate cross-off breeze from the N at 12 mph. The water is sitting at 58°, which is bang on average for this time of year; nothing to write home about there. The combined energy is moderate (856), so it’s a decent start, but the report says marginal. It’s a foot in the water, but not the day.
Sunday the 9th is where it starts to get interesting. The morning is a write-off, but Sunday afternoon? That’s a standout. The wind swings around to a light offshore from the WNW at 6 mph, grooming a 5ft SW groundswell with a very long period of 16 seconds. The combined energy jumps up to 1242 (moderate), and the report says "expect very good surf conditions." This is your window for a clean, lined-up reef break. Remember, that long period means the sets will be a bit more spaced out, so the paddle out is easier. It’s a beginner-friendly break, but crowds are possible here sometimes, so get there early.
Monday the 10th is a different beast. A massive SW swell hits, with a solid 10ft in the morning dropping to 8ft in the afternoon. Periods are still long at 17 and 16 seconds. The combined energy is through the roof – 5182 and 3707 – that’s very strong wave energy. But the wind is a fresh cross-off from the SW and WSW, which is not ideal for the shape. At 10ft, this is only for experts. The report calls it marginal, so the quality is likely messy. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing if you ask me.
Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th are a right-off. Strong, gusty winds from the NW and W (up to 28 mph) and dropping swell. The surf is poor and not worth a look.
By Thursday the 13th, the swell settles back to 7ft to 8ft from the SW, with a moderate breeze. It’s still clean, but the report says marginal. The energy is still high (2119 to 2594), but the wind isn’t letting it be perfect.
The absolute best on offer is Friday the 14th. The morning is a gem. A 7ft SSW groundswell with a period of 17 seconds, combined with a gentle cross-off breeze from the SW at 9 mph. The energy is strong at 2127, and the report says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is for the crew who can handle a bit of size and power. The wind is light, the waves will be clean. The afternoon sees a slight drop to 6ft, still very good. This is the day to circle on the calendar.
From Saturday the 15th onwards, the wind turns onshore and the quality drops. There’s a long gap of marginal to poor surf through until the 21st of August. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-shore, and the swell mixes up.
We get a bit of a pulse on the 21st of August (Friday morning) – a 6ft SW groundswell with a period of 17 seconds, and a clean cross-off breeze from the NNW. Combined energy is 1839 (moderate). The report says marginal, but it’s a cleaner option compared to the rest of the week. It’s a promising long-range signal, but less certain.
The last possible decent window is the 23rd of August (Sunday). A 7ft SW groundswell with a very long period of 19 seconds hits, but the wind is a moderate cross-shore from the NNE at 16 mph, causing a chop. The energy is very strong (2802), but the conditions will be messy.
So, summing it up: Sunday afternoon the 9th for the best clean, beginner-friendly waves, and Friday morning the 14th for the experienced crew looking for the best quality and power. Everything else is a bit of a gamble with the wind.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Mon morning). Mainly strong winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Tue afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Tue afternoon, light winds from the SW by Thu night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 17 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
856 | 597 | 636 | 942 | 4331 | 4690 | 2676 | 1384 | 553 | 264 | 3723 | 4911 | 3997 | 2868 | 2594 | 2119 | 1592 | 2127 | 1809 | 1498 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 11:06AM0.88m | 12:25PM0.97m | 2:55AM0.27m | 1:14PM1.05m | 2:11AM0.35m | 1:53PM1.08m | 2:26AM0.46m | 2:27PM1.08m | 2:49AM0.57m | 2:57PM1.03m | 3:17AM0.67m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 11:05PM0.12m | 10:18PM0.14m | 9:24PM0.14m | 4:16AM0.27m | 9:11PM0.13m | 6:22AM0.21m | 9:14PM0.12m | 7:25AM0.15m | 9:24PM0.11m | 8:14AM0.11m | 9:36PM0.09m | |||||||||
— | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | |
5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | |
mm | 1 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 13 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 14 | WSW 9 | SW 18 | SSW 19 | SW 17 | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
856 | 597 | 636 | 942 | — | 492 | 1031 | 1384 | 553 | 138 | 83 | 866 | 476 | — | 2594 | 2119 | 1592 | 2127 | 1809 | 1498 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 16 | SSW 21 | — | — | — | — | WSW 6 | SSW 14 | SW 15 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 15 | — | — | — |
— | — | 153 | 300 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 264 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | 255 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 4 | NE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 18 | NE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 4 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | 223 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | NNW 4 | N 4 | N 4 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 16 | — | NW 4 | NW 5 | SW 17 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6 | 43 | 10 | 5 | 4331 | 4690 | 2676 | — | 34 | 47 | 3723 | 4911 | 3997 | 2868 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 83 | 118 | 83 | 0 | 522 | 640 | 963 | 0 | 721 | 663 | 535 | 723 | 1180 | 740 | 723 | 712 | 155 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
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.











