Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s coming up for Rainbow Bay.

Right now, the surf is tiny and messy. We’ve got a few days of nothing worthwhile to start with. Tuesday the 14th and Wednesday the 15th are basically flat with poor conditions – not worth paddling out for. The wait is on.

Things start to get interesting from Thursday the 16th, but it’s not for everyone. That morning we’ve got a solid 12ft swell from the SSE, but the period is short at 9 seconds, and with 22 mph offshore winds, it’s going to be big, raw and powerful. The combined energy is strong at 1814. This is expert-only territory. Honestly, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing at this size for a beach-and-reef setup.

Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th keep the size in the 8ft to 12ft range, still with strong offshore winds, but the quality is only marginal. It’s big, it’s clean, but it’s not the best shape.

Now, the standout period is from Sunday the 19th through to the middle of the following week. Sunday the 19th morning sees a 15ft swell from the SE, with a period of 11 seconds and very strong combined energy of 4938. That’s a lot of water moving. The winds are offshore, so it’s clean, but this is big, powerful groundswell – only for experienced surfers who know the spot.

The real sweet spot looks like Monday the 20th afternoon through to Thursday the 23rd. Swell drops to a more manageable 8ft to 10ft, period lengthens out to 10–13 seconds, and we’ve got consistent offshore winds from the SSE and S. This is where Rainbow Bay will be at its best. The combined energy is still strong, around 1000 to 1931, but the longer period means better shaped waves with more push. This is a point break, so it’ll handle that long-period groundswell well. The water temperature is about 69°, which is pretty normal for this time of year. Crowds are possible here, so don’t expect it empty.

The absolute standout is Sunday the 26th morning. The wind is glassy, the swell is 8ft from the SE with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy is a very strong 2802. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers – clean, powerful, and with that long-period energy wrapping around the point. If you can get out there, that’s the morning to circle on the calendar.

After that, it fades quickly. Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th see the swell drop below 7ft, winds turn onshore, and conditions become poor. The run ends with weak, choppy surf.

So, the best of the best: Sunday the 26th morning for that glassy, clean, powerful SE groundswell. If you want the most consistent run of good waves, aim for Monday the 20th afternoon through Thursday the 23rd.

Rusty.

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