Rainbow Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.16° S 153.55° E

Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 15 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
20.1° C
0.7° 

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 15 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, SE swell with 553 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 15 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 6s 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 Saturday (Aug 15) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 20s 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 1.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 20) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Sat 15th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 6s
Best Surf 4AM (Wed 19th Aug)6ft (1.8m) 9s
Most Powerful 1PM (Wed 19th Aug)5ft (1.6m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for Rainbow Bay over the next couple of weeks.

Overall, it's a bit of a mixed bag with no real epic standouts, but there are a couple of windows where the stars align for a decent session. The first proper week is a bit of a struggle with a lot of ordinary to poor conditions, but the end of the first week and into the second offers a couple of glimmers. There’s a significant gap from around the 24th of August right through to the 28th where it gets really small before a late pulse of long-period groundswell arrives.

Right, starting off this Saturday, the 15th of August, we’ve got some waves on offer with a 5-foot south swell, period of 7 seconds. The combined swell energy is 250 (moderate), and the water temp is about 68°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year. Winds are offshore from the south, so it should be clean, but the reports call it "very ordinary"; the short period and moderate wind mean it's not going to be anything special.

The next few days, from Sunday the 16th through Tuesday the 18th, we're seeing the swell pick up a touch, up to 6 feet or even 7 feet out of the SSE and ESE. The combined energy builds into the 400-530 range (moderate). However, the winds are cross-offshore or cross-shore, keeping things from being truly glassy. Conditions are only described as "marginal" or "very ordinary". The short 7-8 second period means these waves won't have much shape or power, so expect a bit of a mess.

Now, here's our first real standout. Wednesday the 19th of August brings a change. The swell drops a bit to 5 feet, but the period jumps to a very long 11 seconds. That's groundswell energy, lads. The combined energy shoots right up to 597-730 (moderate to strong). With a light southerly breeze giving offshore conditions in the morning, this is the cleanest the waves will look for a while. This is your best bet for a quality session in the first week. The longer period will reel in nicely at Rainbow Bay, a sheltered point break, but be aware it's often crowded and is a fairly consistent break.

After that little window, things go downhill. The swell drops right off through the 20th to the 25th, with heights falling from 4 feet down to a pathetic 1 feet. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-shore, and the combined energy plummets into the 100s and even down to 38. There are a few glassy mornings on the 24th and 25th, but the swell is simply too small to be worth paddling out for. This is the big gap I mentioned – from about the 21st through the 26th, it's a dead zone.

Just when you think it's all over, we get another pulse. Saturday the 29th of August looks promising. A 3-foot swell from the ESE, but with an excellent 11-second period and north-northwest winds so light it’s glassy. The combined energy is 458 (moderate). That's a gorgeous setup for a clean, fun morning session on the point, and it's the second real highlight. The Sunday the 30th also has a glassy morning with a 4-foot swell and a 10-second period, but the energy is a bit less and the shape might not be as good.

So, my call for Rainbow Bay: keep Wednesday the 19th circled on the calendar for a good quality session of long-period swell, and have another look at the 29th for some glassy morning fun. The rest of the time, you're better off waxing the longboard and watching the horizon.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 15°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
15
Sunday
16
Monday
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
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
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
0
1
0
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)
1.5
S
7
1.5
SSE
7
1.8
SSE
7
1.8
SSE
7
1.6
SSE
7
2
SE
7
2
ESE
7
1.9
ESE
8
1.9
ESE
8
1.9
ESE
8
1.9
SE
8
1.7
SE
9
1.5
SE
11
1.6
SE
11
1.3
SE
8
1.3
SE
8
1.1
SE
8
1.1
SE
8
0.8
ENE
7
0.8
ESE
7
1
E
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
212
187
316
344
229
345
406
414
403
403
423
439
515
543
214
250
157
135
68
61
111
Wind (km/h)
25
S
25
SSE
20
S
20
S
20
SSE
25
SSE
25
ESE
20
SE
15
SE
20
SE
20
SE
10
SSE
10
S
10
SE
10
ESE
15
ESE
15
E
5
ENE
15
NNE
15
N
15
NW
Wind State
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
glassy
cross-on
on
cross-on
High Tide
9:59PM1.70m
10:24AM1.43m
10:33PM1.56m
11:04AM1.42m
11:04PM1.41m
11:47AM1.40m
11:37PM1.27m
12:37PM1.37m
00:13AM1.15m
1:39PM1.36m
1:05AM1.04m
2:53PM1.38m
2:27AM0.98m
Low Tide
3:36PM0.27m
4:21AM0.28m
4:18PM0.38m
4:52AM0.34m
5:01PM0.50m
5:22AM0.40m
5:48PM0.62m
5:55AM0.45m
6:48PM0.73m
6:34AM0.50m
8:12PM0.80m
7:27AM0.55m
9:52PM0.79m
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:16
6:16
6:16
6:15
6:13
6:13
6:11
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:22
5:22
5:23
5:23
5:24
5:24
5:25
 mm
1
4
1
1
4
2
2
2
2
4
4
3
9
2
1
4
2
Temp °C
18
17
16
18
18
17
18
17
17
18
17
17
17
17
16
18
18
17
19
19
18
Feels °C
14
14
12
14
14
13
14
13
13
14
13
14
16
15
15
16
16
16
17
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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