Rainbow Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.16° S 153.55° E

Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 pm 06 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
21.1°C
0.0° 

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 6 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, SSE swell with 1,922 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Rainbow Bay in the next 16 days are 3.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 06) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Mon 7th Sep)5.5ft (1.7m) 7s
Best Surf 7PM (Thu 10th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 9s
Most Powerful10AM (Thu 10th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 9s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, this is Rusty. Let’s have a proper look at the surf ahead for Rainbow Bay. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so we’ll take it day by day.

The pattern starts off humble. Sunday the 6th is a write-off – tiny 1.0ft waves from the east with a cross-off wind. The energy is barely there (32), so leave the board at home.

Monday the 7th is where we finally get something. The morning brings a clean 5ft swell from the SSE, with a light offshore wind making it glassy. The period is a short 8 seconds, so it won’t be super juicy, but for a beginner-friendly point like Rainbow Bay, it’s a fun, manageable size. The energy is moderate (400) and conditions look good. The afternoon holds similar size but with a bit more period, though the wind goes cross-offshore.

Tuesday the 8th is a classic “if you’re desperate” day. You’ve got 4 to 4ft waves with a solid offshore breeze keeping things clean, but it’s raining, and the energy levels are decent (253-300). The surf is there, but the experience will be ordinary. Worth a look if you’re keen, but don’t expect magic.

Wednesday the 9th is a dud. The wind switches and we get messy cross and cross-on conditions. The swell hangs around 5 to 5ft but with zero quality. Avoid it.

Now, here’s the standout. Thursday the 10th. This is the one. We’re talking a proper 12ft swell in the morning and 10ft in the afternoon, both from the SSE. The period is a short 8-9 seconds, meaning it will be a bit lumpy and powerful, but the energy readings (1934 and 1444) are massive. This is big, strong surf. However, this is for experts only – over 8ft is not for beginners. The wind is fresh offshore, so it should be clean. Crowds are often here, so expect company.

Friday the 11th settles down. You’ve got 7 to 8ft waves with clean offshore winds. The energy is still solid (631-718). It’s still a bit big for a beginner, but for an intermediate surfer, this will be the best “comfortable” day of the window. Paddling out will be easier than Thursday.

Saturday the 12th is a nice call. The morning starts with a smaller 5ft, but by afternoon it’s back to 7ft with moderate offshore winds and clean conditions. The energy (480-662) is good. This is a solid, surfable day.

From Sunday the 13th onward, it’s a slow fade. The swell drops, the winds get messy, and we’re looking at a long stretch of poor to ordinary conditions. The 14th through the 18th are essentially flat or too wind-affected to bother. There is a brief spike on the 18th with 5ft, but the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. Not worth it.

The best on offer is clearly Thursday the 10th for the big, powerful, clean swell – but only for the crew with experience. If you want something more manageable, Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th are your best bets for good quality, clean waves.

For the first break mentioned, Rainbow Bay: the water temperature is 70°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 24°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 15°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds.

Sun
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
2
2
3
2
1
2
1
2
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
E
10
1.7
SSE
7
1.6
SSE
8
1.6
SSE
10
1.2
SSE
9
1.2
SSE
9
1.3
SSE
9
1.6
SSE
8
1.5
SSE
9
1.4
SSE
9
1.3
SSE
9
3.5
SSE
9
3
SSE
9
2.4
SSE
9
2.3
SSE
8
2.1
SSE
8
1.9
SSE
9
1.6
SSE
9
2
SSE
9
1.6
SSE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
17
302
385
452
227
213
270
302
320
281
262
1922
1418
992
688
623
591
450
632
431
Wind (km/h)
15
SE
20
S
15
SSE
15
ESE
10
SSE
20
SSE
25
S
15
S
5
E
15
NE
20
S
35
S
30
SSE
20
S
25
S
25
S
20
S
25
S
20
SSE
10
S
Wind State
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross
cross-on
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
High Tide
4:06PM1.62m
4:37AM1.09m
5:11PM1.72m
5:40AM1.20m
6:05PM1.80m
6:31AM1.32m
6:53PM1.84m
7:16AM1.42m
7:36PM1.83m
7:57AM1.50m
8:16PM1.77m
8:36AM1.55m
8:52PM1.67m
Low Tide
10:58PM0.39m
10:22AM0.33m
11:54PM0.29m
11:26AM0.26m
00:41AM0.22m
12:20PM0.20m
1:21AM0.18m
1:09PM0.16m
1:59AM0.17m
1:54PM0.17m
2:33AM0.19m
2:37PM0.22m
3:04AM0.23m
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
clear
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
clear
rain showers
part cloud
clear
rain showers
part cloud
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:54
5:52
5:50
5:50
5:48
5:48
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:34
5:34
5:34
5:35
5:35
5:36
5:36
 mm
1
2
1
5
2
2
1
Temp °C
24
18
20
19
18
19
19
17
18
19
19
18
18
15
18
19
17
19
19
18
Feels °C
23
14
17
17
18
16
15
14
17
17
19
12
12
11
14
14
15
15
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)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Rainbow Bay:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Rainbow Bay surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


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.

Nearest locationNearest