Rainbow Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.16° S 153.55° E

Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 02 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
20.5° C
0.3° 

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


Rainbow Bay surf forecast from 2 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period, SE swell with 488 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period with SSE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rainbow Bay this week:

The surf forecast for Rainbow Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Rainbow Bay in the next 16 days are 1.6m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4PM (Sun 2nd Aug)4.5ft (1.4m) 9s
Best Surf 4PM (Sun 2nd Aug)4.5ft (1.4m) 9s
Most Powerful 7AM (Mon 3rd Aug)5ft (1.6m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rainbow Bay over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, this is Rusty, coming to you from the beach. Let’s talk about what’s coming up at Rainbow Bay over the next couple of weeks.

First up, we’ve got a solid little pulse of swell rolling in right now. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The wind is light and the waves are clean—it’s a proper setup for the point.

Sunday morning kicks things off with a 5 ft southeasterly swell, period around 9 seconds, and a light offshore breeze from the SSE. The combined energy is moderate (544), and the conditions are clean. This is the standout of the whole outlook. The swell direction is right on the money for Rainbow Bay, the wind is off, and the waves have got some shape. It’s not a monster, but it’s a quality, fun-sized wave for a point break. The crowd situation is often busy here, so expect company. That’s the best session of the whole stretch.

Sunday afternoon drops a little to 5 ft, with a cross-off wind, still clean. It’s a good follow-up session.

Monday morning looks like a real treat. The swell holds at 5 ft, still from the SE, period bumps up to 10 seconds, and the wind goes glassy. That’s a dream scenario for the point—clean, long lines, and easy paddling between sets. The combined energy is still moderate (497). This is the second best slot on offer. Monday afternoon sees a cross-on wind, so it’s a bit of a drop-off, but still surfable.

After that, the surf drops off significantly. Tuesday (4th) is tiny, with onshore winds and poor conditions. Wednesday (5th) and Thursday (6th) see knee-high dribble, energy in the weak range (121-203), and nothing to get excited about.

Friday (7th) and Saturday (8th) are similar—small, weak, and ordinary. The entire period from Tuesday morning through to Saturday afternoon is a flat spell. There’s no real surf to speak of.

Sunday (9th) sees a small bump in size to 3 ft, but the wind is onshore and strong, especially by the afternoon with 15 mph from the north. That’s a washout.

From Monday (10th) onward, it’s all small, weak, and messy. The energy levels drop into the 80-200 range, the swell is mostly from the east, and the winds are cross or onshore. There’s a brief moment on Tuesday (11th) afternoon with a clean cross-off and a 1.0 rating, but it’s still only 3 ft.

The last real chance for anything decent is Monday (17th) morning. The swell is only 3 ft, but the wind is offshore from the south at 12 mph, and the combined energy has climbed back to 160. It’s a clean, small wave for the point, but nothing like the first two days.

So, to wrap it up: the best of the whole 16-day window is Sunday (2nd) morning and Monday (3rd) morning. After that, it’s a long stretch of flat or poor conditions until the very end of the outlook. Get on it early, because the ocean is going to take a long nap.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
SE
9
1.4
SSE
9
1.4
SE
10
1.4
SE
10
1.4
SE
10
1.2
SE
10
0.8
SSE
9
0.7
SSE
8
0.8
ESE
11
1
E
10
0.9
E
9
0.6
ESE
9
0.6
S
8
0.6
S
8
0.6
S
9
0.7
S
10
0.6
S
9
0.7
S
9
0.7
E
7
0.7
E
8
0.5
E
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
415
327
392
420
404
257
103
62
128
190
130
58
49
46
59
90
55
87
52
60
34
Wind (km/h)
15
SSE
10
SE
5
SW
5
SSE
10
ENE
5
WNW
10
NNW
15
NNE
10
NW
5
SE
10
ESE
10
SSW
15
SSE
10
ESE
10
ENE
5
SE
10
E
5
ESE
10
SE
10
ESE
5
NNE
Wind State
off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross
on
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
High Tide
10:22AM1.33m
10:29PM1.64m
11:03AM1.35m
11:08PM1.54m
11:50AM1.37m
11:52PM1.41m
12:47PM1.40m
00:46AM1.28m
1:54PM1.44m
1:54AM1.16m
3:09PM1.51m
3:16AM1.09m
4:22PM1.62m
Low Tide
4:07PM0.41m
4:58AM0.31m
4:52PM0.44m
5:35AM0.31m
5:47PM0.49m
6:18AM0.31m
6:54PM0.54m
7:10AM0.32m
8:18PM0.56m
8:12AM0.33m
9:49PM0.52m
9:23AM0.31m
11:08PM0.43m
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
light rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:28
6:26
6:26
6:26
6:24
6:24
6:22
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:15
5:15
5:16
5:16
5:17
5:19
5:19
 mm
1
5
Temp °C
18
18
16
17
17
16
19
18
18
17
17
16
17
17
17
19
18
17
18
18
17
Feels °C
15
15
16
15
15
15
16
15
16
15
15
15
15
15
16
17
16
15
16
16
16
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Rainbow Bay Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Rainbow Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rainbow Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rainbow Bay 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 (Rainbow Bay) 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 Rainbow Bay 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.

Rainbow Bay is 6 km (4 miles) from Banora Point. If you plan a holiday in Gold Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Banora Point. Banora Point has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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