Rainbow Bay surfForecast / QLD – Gold Coast / Australia

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 9 pm Sunday 17 May 2026 AEST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Rainbow Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
24.2° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

How big are the waves at Rainbow Bay today?

The current surf forecast for Rainbow Bay at 2AM is: 2.4m 9s primary swell from a East direction (forecast issued at 09:00pm May 17). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-shore.

Time (AEST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (18 May)8ft (2.4m)9s
Afternoon (18 May)7.5ft (2.3m)9s
Evening (18 May)8ft (2.5m)9s

Table - waves today at Rainbow Bay. (Swell directed towards the surf break)


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 63mm), heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 16°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Sun
17
Monday
18
Tuesday
19
Wednesday
20
7 PM
10 PM
1 AM
4 AM
7 AM
10 AM
1 PM
4 PM
7 PM
10 PM
1 AM
4 AM
7 AM
10 AM
1 PM
4 PM
7 PM
10 PM
1 AM
4 AM
7 AM
10 AM
1 PM
4 PM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
Swell
Height Map
Height MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.1
E
9
2.3
E
9
2.4
E
9
2.5
E
9
2.4
E
9
2.4
E
9
2.3
E
9
2.3
E
9
2.3
E
9
2.5
ENE
9
2.5
ENE
9
2.3
E
10
2.3
E
10
3
ENE
10
2.5
ENE
10
2.5
ENE
10
2.4
ENE
10
2.3
ENE
10
2
E
10
1.9
E
10
1.8
E
10
1.8
E
10
1.7
E
10
1.6
E
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
747
904
979
1060
979
1005
923
932
944
1060
1194
943
972
1419
1329
1237
1088
979
783
697
605
593
529
470
Wind (km/h)
15
ENE
15
ENE
15
ENE
15
ENE
15
ENE
20
ENE
20
ENE
20
NE
20
NE
20
NNE
25
NNE
25
N
20
NNW
20
NNW
20
WNW
20
NW
15
NW
10
W
10
WSW
15
SW
10
SSW
15
SSW
20
S
20
S
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
High Tide
8:37PM2.02m
8:56AM1.38m
9:24PM2.02m
9:47AM1.30m
10:13PM1.99m
10:40AM1.24m
Low Tide
3:12AM0.30m
2:41PM0.28m
4:05AM0.33m
3:26PM0.34m
5:00AM0.38m
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
mod rain
mod rain
mod rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:20
6:22
6:22
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:01
5:01
5:00
4
4
4
3
2
2
3
5
8
10
6
5
4
1
3
2
1
Temp °C
21
20
21
21
21
22
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
20
20
20
19
18
17
16
19
21
21
21
20
21
20
20
21
20
20
20
20
19
19
21
20
19
19
20
20
17
15
14
17
17
18
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.1
E
9
2.3
E
9
2.4
E
9
2.4
E
9
2.4
E
9
2.3
E
9
2.3
E
9
2.5
ENE
9
2.3
E
10
2.3
E
10
3
ENE
10
2.5
ENE
10
2.5
ENE
10
2.4
ENE
10
2.3
ENE
10
2
E
10
1.9
E
10
1.8
E
10
1.8
E
10
1.7
E
10
1.6
E
10
Energy kJ
747
904
979
979
1005
923
932
1060
943
972
1419
1329
1237
1088
979
783
697
605
593
529
470
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
Energy kJ
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
Energy kJ
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.5
E
9
2.3
E
9
2.5
ENE
9
1.5
NNE
6
1.6
N
6
1.9
N
6
1.5
N
7
0.5
NW
4
0.6
WNW
4
0.5
WSW
3
0.6
SW
4
0.4
SSW
4
0.4
SSW
5
0.7
S
6
1.1
S
7
Energy kJ
1060
944
1194
150
184
302
196
7
11
4
8
6
8
35
107
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
4
3
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
Distance (km)
0
0
0
176
53
219
219
219
176
176
183
160
140
40
12
10
10
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Gold Coast
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
7
4
8
6
4
4
5
6
5
4
5
4
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

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