Rainbow Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.16° S 153.55° E

Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 24 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
20.8° C
0.1° 

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 24 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 10s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 10s period, S swell with 605 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s is also forecast. 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 1.8m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Fri 24th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 7s
Best Surf 7AM (Sat 25th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 10s
Most Powerful 7AM (Sat 25th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ at Rainbow Bay.

Alright, so the outlook for the next couple of weeks is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some waves on the cards, but finding a real standout session is gonna take a bit of patience. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no need to dig out the extra thick steamer just yet.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Saturday, July 25th. The morning session is looking like the pick of the whole run. We’re seeing a clean 5ft swell pushing in from the SSE, with a light 6 mph southerly breeze keeping it glassy. The combined energy of all swells directed here is a solid 772 (moderate wave energy), which should give it some good push. This is a beginner-friendly point break, and with those conditions, it’s going to be a fun morning. Keep in mind, Rainbow Bay can get crowded, so you’ll want to be out there early to grab a few clean ones.

Saturday afternoon drops off pretty quick. The swell backs down to 2ft and the wind swings around to a light cross-onshore, making it feel a bit messy.

The next noteworthy window is Thursday, July 30th. The morning is alright – 5ft from the south with a moderate 16 mph offshore wind, keeping things clean. The energy is moderate (249). The afternoon, though, bumps up to 7ft from the SSE with a fresh 19 mph offshore wind. That’s getting into the zone where it’s not for the groms, but for the experienced crew, it’s worth a look. The energy is still moderate (438). It’s a little on the short period though (7 seconds), so it’ll be a bit lumpy and not as well-shaped as we’d like.

After that, the forecast gets pretty ordinary for a solid stretch. There’s a gap from Thursday, July 31st right through to Wednesday, August 6th where nothing really stands out. We’re seeing a lot of small, weak swells with poor short-period energy, often in the 100-300 range, and the winds are either cross-off or just not giving us the clean face we want. It’s surfable, but it’s very ordinary.

The one that might be worth a look later on is Thursday, August 6th morning. The swell is 4ft from the east with a 9-second period, which is a bit better. The energy is 330 (moderate), and the wind is light offshore from the SSE. It’s not a world-beater, but it’s clean and consistent. It’s a long-range call, so keep an eye on it, but it’s promising.

Bottom line: If you’re surfing this period, Saturday, July 25th morning is your best bet. Get it while it’s clean. After that, you’re waiting for Thursday, July 30th afternoon for a bigger, more powerful – but rougher – session. The rest is for the patient or the desperate.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
ENE
8
1.8
SSE
7
1.6
SSE
8
0.9
SE
16
1.1
S
9
1
SSE
10
1
SSE
10
0.9
SSE
10
1.1
SSE
10
1
S
10
1.1
SSE
10
0.9
SSE
9
0.8
SSE
9
0.7
SSE
8
0.4
S
8
0.4
S
8
0.4
NE
6
1.2
SSE
6
1.6
S
7
2.1
SSE
7
1.7
SSE
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
107
268
333
360
206
222
209
166
232
196
230
146
103
73
24
19
8
107
222
419
237
Wind (km/h)
20
S
25
SSE
15
SSW
10
S
10
ENE
10
WSW
10
SSE
10
SE
10
SSW
15
S
20
SSE
10
S
10
SSE
5
SE
10
WNW
5
S
15
SSE
15
SSW
25
S
30
S
20
SSW
Wind State
off
off
off
off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
off
glassy
cross
glassy
off
off
off
off
off
High Tide
4:37PM1.50m
4:18AM1.05m
5:32PM1.59m
5:28AM1.06m
6:20PM1.68m
6:26AM1.10m
7:02PM1.75m
7:15AM1.15m
7:40PM1.80m
7:57AM1.19m
8:16PM1.82m
8:35AM1.24m
8:49PM1.82m
Low Tide
11:21PM0.74m
10:20AM0.49m
00:20AM0.66m
11:16AM0.46m
1:06AM0.57m
12:06PM0.43m
1:46AM0.49m
12:51PM0.41m
2:22AM0.43m
1:33PM0.39m
2:54AM0.38m
2:11PM0.38m
3:26AM0.35m
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
clear
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:33
6:31
6:31
6:31
6:31
6:30
6:30
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:10
5:12
5:12
5:13
5:13
5:14
5:14
 mm
2
2
1
2
Temp °C
18
16
14
17
16
16
17
17
15
17
17
16
18
17
16
18
18
16
17
16
14
Feels °C
13
10
11
14
14
15
15
15
14
14
14
14
16
17
15
14
15
13
11
10
9
  • 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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