Rhino Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Rhino Head. This spot is a sheltered reef break, so it doesn't need a huge ocean to get going, but the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We've got a few days of limp, weak surf to start, then a real pulse of energy later on that's worth waiting for.

The water temp is sitting at 60°F right now, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real window of interest kicks off on Wednesday the 15th in the morning. We’ve got a 5-foot swell from the SSW with a 15-second period (that’s groundswell, long gaps between sets), and the combined energy is strong at 1001. The wind is a light 6 mph cross-off from the north, which will keep the surface clean. That’s a solid, clean wave for a beginner-friendly reef. The afternoon cleans up even more as the wind goes offshore from the NW, still light, with a 5-foot SW swell. This is the best of the early period.

Thursday the 16th afternoon is another standout. The swell hangs around 5-foot from the SSW, but the period bumps up to 16 seconds and the energy jumps to 1081. The wind is near-glass at 3 mph from the NNW, cross-off. It’s going to be clean and lined up. A real treat if you can get out.

After that, the surf starts to fade. From Friday the 18th through to Tuesday the 22nd, the swell drops below 3 feet and the energy plummets. The wind also picks up to 12 mph from the north, making it choppy and messy. Not worth paddling out for.

Then, things get interesting again. On Thursday the 23rd in the afternoon, we see a jump to 7 feet from the SW with a 16-second period. The combined energy is massive at 2349. Wind is a moderate 12 mph cross-off from the WSW. That’s a lot of power—this is getting into expert territory. It’s a big, clean groundswell hitting a sheltered reef, so it’ll be plenty powerful.

Friday the 24th is the real standout of the whole run. The morning is a bit of a shame with a cross-on wind, but the afternoon is the money window. The swell drops slightly to 6 feet from the SSW, still a 16-second period, with energy at 1787. The wind goes light, 3 mph from the WSW, cross-off. That’s about as good as it gets for this break—smooth, powerful, and clean. If you can only pick one session, make it the afternoon of the 24th. Keep in mind, that’s a solid swell size, so it’s not one for beginners.

After that, it fades again. The rest of the month sees small, weak swell and fresh winds, nothing to get excited about.

So, to sum it up: the first few days have some clean, fun waves, but the real standout is the afternoon of Friday the 24th of July at Rhino Head. Clean, powerful, and long-period groundswell. Get on it.

Rusty.

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