Surf Forecasts:
Rainbow Bay surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 11s period, ESE swell with 961 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 10AM (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 Sunday (Aug 16) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 18s 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 2.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rainbow Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. This forecast for Rainbow Bay is a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s one standout session that’ll get your heart pumping. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is a touch cooler than average for this time of year, so you might want a spring suit.
Alright, let’s get into it. The first real action starts on the morning of August 16th. We’ve got a 6ft SSE swell, but it’s a short period of 7 seconds, with a moderate offshore wind from the south. The wave energy is moderate (374), but the waves are surfable, just ordinary. The wind is offshore, keeping things clean, but the short period means the waves won’t have much punch.
Come August 17th, the swell picks up a bit, hitting 6ft to 7ft from the ESE and SE, with periods of 7 to 8 seconds. The wind is cross-offshore, which is okay, but the conditions are still marginal. The energy is ramping up (509-550), but it’s not a great session.
The real highlight is the morning of Sunday, August 23rd. This is the session to circle. A 7ft SSE swell with a period of 8 seconds, and a clean offshore wind from the south. The energy is solid (676), and the conditions are good. This is a decent push of swell, not too big for a confident intermediate, but it’s got some grunt. The wind is offshore, so the waves will be clean and well-shaped. This is the best on offer.
The week following that is a bit of a letdown. Swell drops off, with a few days of poor conditions and onshore winds. The morning of August 26th is worth a mention: a 6ft SSE swell with a period of 10 seconds, and a fresh offshore wind from the south. The energy is strong (651), but the conditions are only marginal. The longer period (10 seconds) means better-shaped waves, but the wind is howling at 19 mph, which might make it tricky.
From August 28th onwards, the surf gets small and inconsistent, with heights under 3ft and weak energy. The morning of August 30th has a tiny 1ft SSE swell with a 10-second period, but it’s just not enough.
So, for the whole 16-day window, the standout is clearly the morning of August 23rd at Rainbow Bay. It’s the best call for clean, punchy waves. The rest of the period is a mix of average to poor conditions, with some gaps. It’s not a total blank, but if you’re keen, you’ll be chasing that Sunday session.
Stay frothy.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 16°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 325 | 236 | 422 | 387 | 490 | 452 | 473 | 458 | 300 | 773 | 399 | 239 | 327 | 327 | 316 | 291 | 253 | 191 | 183 | 168 | 105 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 4:06PM1.44m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 8:38AM0.57m | 11:07PM0.72m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | | | | | | |  | |  | | | |  | | | |
 | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — |
 | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — |
mm | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 22 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 8 | S 8 | SE 17 | E 10 | SE 11 | SE 15 | E 7 | ESE 11 | ENE 7 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | 33 | 32 | 12 | 55 | 11 | 17 | 64 | 8 | 134 | 773 | 70 | 239 | 327 | 327 | 316 | 291 | 253 | 191 | 183 | 168 | 105 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 18 | ESE 9 | E 10 | SE 18 | E 9 | ENE 9 | S 10 | SE 14 | ESE 12 | S 11 | S 9 | ENE 7 | NE 9 | NE 9 | — | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | NE 9 |
| kJ | 12 | 8 | 18 | 12 | 26 | 28 | 46 | 31 | 129 | 20 | 14 | 75 | 3 | 13 | — | 23 | 23 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | SSE 18 | SSE 18 | S 18 | S 17 | E 13 | S 13 | — | ESE 12 | S 16 | S 10 | S 10 | — | — | — | S 13 | S 13 | ENE 9 | S 11 | S 10 | — |
| kJ | 4 | 30 | 30 | 55 | 23 | 3 | 13 | — | 129 | 5 | 33 | 8 | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 2 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 9 | SE 11 | SE 11 | — | SW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | NW 4 | S 5 |
| kJ | 325 | 236 | 422 | 387 | 490 | 452 | 473 | 458 | 300 | 553 | 399 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 6 | 53 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 170 | 1 | 40 | 16 | 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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