Surf Forecasts:
Rainbow Bay surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 9s period, SSE swell with 2,538 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s 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 Thursday (Sep 17) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s. 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 4.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rainbow Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, just the same story but in feet and Fahrenheit for the land of the free.
Look, honestly, the first few days are a total wash. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th? Forget it. Nothing moving.
First sign of life is Wednesday the 16th. We get a 7ft swell from the S in the morning, short period at 7 seconds, so it’s a bit of a mess. But the wind is offshore at 22 mph from the S, so it’ll be clean. Wave energy is moderate (410). Come Wednesday afternoon it jumps to 10ft from the SSE, still short period at 8 seconds, with an energy spike to 1189 (strong). That’s big, raw power with a fresh offshore wind. Only for the experts. Beginners stay on the beach.
Now for the real highlight: Thursday the 17th. Morning session is the best of the whole 16 days. Solid 10ft groundswell from the SSE, period of 10 seconds, and a very strong energy reading of 1550. Wind is offshore from the S at 16 mph, so it’s gonna be clean and lined up. Since Rainbow Bay is a point, that long-period energy will wrap in smooth. Afternoon drops to 8ft with a 9-second period and the same clean offshore wind. That’s the session to be out for. Water temp is 70°, right around average for this time of year.
Friday the 18th backs off but is still fun – 6ft from the SSE in the morning with cross-off wind and clean conditions (energy 472). Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th are small and onshore junk – 4ft dropping to 1ft with northerly onshore winds. Not worth it.
Then the real dry spell hits. From Monday the 21st all the way through Sunday the 28th, it’s mostly poor. There’s a bump to 7ft on Wednesday the 23rd and again on the 26th, but the wind is all cross-onshore or onshore, making it choppy. The swell swings east, which is not the best direction for this spot. Monday the 28th afternoon is clean with cross-off winds and 5ft, but energy is weak (250) and it’s still rated poor.
Tuesday the 29th gives a last little window: 4ft from the ENE, clean offshore wind from the S at 16 mph. It’s not great, but it’s rideable.
Bottom line: Thursday the 17th is your day, morning and afternoon. Wednesday the 16th afternoon is a big-wave option for the brave. The rest is mostly a long, quiet gap from the 19th through the 28th with only a few mediocre windows. Pick your moment carefully.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 20°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Mon morning, fresh winds from the S by Wed night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat morning, min 15°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | N 4 | S 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | S 9 | SE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 94 | 78 | 48 | 50 | 33 | 38 | 384 | 1186 | 2526 | 1536 | 1122 | 811 | 459 | 362 | 129 | 222 | 92 | 55 | 38 | 28 | 28 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:57PM1.41m | 10:28AM1.53m | 10:27PM1.28m | 11:08AM1.49m | 10:58PM1.16m | 11:55AM1.44m | 11:36PM1.05m | 12:54PM1.40m | 00:37AM0.97m | 2:09PM1.39m | 2:21AM0.94m | 3:25PM1.43m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 3:58PM0.41m | 4:02AM0.35m | 4:40PM0.52m | 4:29AM0.42m | 5:27PM0.64m | 5:00AM0.48m | 6:27PM0.73m | 5:38AM0.56m | 7:55PM0.78m | 6:34AM0.63m | 9:33PM0.75m | 7:58AM0.67m | 10:38PM0.67m | ||||||||
 | |  | | |  |  | | | | | | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 5:46 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — |
 | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 16 | E 12 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 |
| kJ | 94 | 78 | 32 | 24 | 17 | 24 | 19 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 459 | 362 | 129 | 222 | 71 | 55 | 36 | 28 | 27 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | E 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | N 5 | — | — | NE 13 | E 13 | NE 16 | NE 16 | E 8 | SE 8 | SSE 17 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | SE 8 | SE 7 |
| kJ | 23 | 2 | 48 | 50 | 33 | 17 | 2 | — | — | 7 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 109 | 30 | 92 | 54 | 38 | 20 | 9 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | NE 12 | E 10 | E 10 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 13 | — | — | — | — | E 12 | E 12 | NE 15 | E 8 | E 8 | SSE 16 | SSE 17 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
| kJ | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 26 | 27 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 6 | — | N 3 | N 4 | N 4 | S 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | N 3 | N 3 | N 3 | N 4 |
| kJ | — | 31 | — | 1 | 13 | 38 | 384 | 1186 | 2526 | 1536 | 1122 | 811 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 5 | 28 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 170 | 5 | 16 | 1743 | 54 | 203 | 1374 | 279 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 701 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gold Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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