Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the lowdown on what’s coming our way for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow start, so don’t rush down this morning. We’ve got a solid run of good waves building from midweek, but you’ll need to pick your windows.

Right now, and through Sunday afternoon, it’s small and pretty ordinary at Rainbow Bay. There’s a 4ft SE swell pushing through, with a 9-second period, and the ESE cross-off wind is keeping things clean, but the energy is only moderate at 227. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about. The water’s sitting at 70°, which is pretty average for this time of year.

Monday morning offers a similar story, with a smaller 3ft SSE swell and light ESE cross-off winds. The energy drops to 121, so it’s still on the weak side. The afternoon turns messy with a NE cross-on breeze, and conditions go downhill fast from there. Tuesday is a write-off with onshore winds and tiny swell, and Wednesday morning is still small and weak.

But hang in there, because Wednesday afternoon, the 16th of September, we finally see some life. A solid 10ft SSE swell rolls in with an 8-second period, and the wind swings to a fresh S/SSE offshore. The energy jumps into the strong range at 1167. Now, that size is well into expert territory, and the period is short, so expect it to be a bit walled-up and bumpy even with the clean wind. It’s a proper big, raw ocean.

Thursday the 17th is where things really start to shape up. The morning brings an 8ft SSE swell with a longer 10-second period, and the wind is a clean moderate S offshore. The energy is strong at 1372, and the forecast is expecting very good surf. This is the standout. The swell direction is straight out of the SSE, which is the optimum for Rainbow Bay, and the offshore wind will have it looking perfect. That’s your session. Thursday afternoon, the swell pushes back up to 10ft with a 9-second period and fresh offshore wind, but that’s big and powerful, only for the experienced crew.

Friday the 18th still has good waves with a 7ft SSE swell and gentle offshore wind in the morning. The energy is moderate at 703. It’s cleaner and a bit more manageable than Thursday, but still a great option. The afternoon turns cross-off, but the swell holds around 6ft.

Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th see the wind go onshore and the swell fade, so those days are a write-off. Then, on Monday the 21st, another pulse of 10ft SSE swell hits with fresh offshore wind and strong energy around 1021 to 1083. The period is short at 8 seconds, so again, big and unruly, strictly for experts.

Tuesday the 22nd offers a cleaner, more manageable 7ft SE swell with a 10-second period and light cross-off wind. Energy is moderate at 723. That’s a nice follow-up session for those who missed Thursday. From Wednesday the 23rd onward, it’s back to small, weak, and onshore or cross-on conditions, with swell dropping below 3ft and energy falling into the weak range. That pattern sticks right through to the end of the outlook on the 28th.

So, to wrap it up: the clear standout is Thursday the 17th of September, with a solid 8ft SSE groundswell and clean offshore wind at Rainbow Bay. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. Friday and the following Tuesday are good backups. The rest is mostly small and blown out, so pick your moments.

Rusty.

Read more