Rainbow Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.16° S 153.55° E

Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
20.1° C
0.6° 

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 18 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 11s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 11s period, ESE swell with 878 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 9s period with ESE 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 Tuesday (Aug 18) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 1.4m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 1.1m and 7s 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 1.9m 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 0.7m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10PM (Tue 18th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 9s
Best Surf 7AM (Wed 19th Aug)6ft (1.9m) 11s
Most Powerful 7AM (Wed 19th Aug)6ft (1.9m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Rainbow Bay.

We’ve got a bit of a waiting game on our hands. The next week and a half is pretty flat and messy, with only a tiny window of decent waves right at the start of the week. After that, it’s a long, quiet stretch until the very end of the forecast period, where a proper pulse of energy shows up.

The first real chance comes on Wednesday, 19 August. The morning is looking like the pick of the early period. We’ve got a solid 5ft SE swell rolling in with a nice 11-second period, which is a proper groundswell, and the wind is offshore from the SSE. That’s going to clean things up nicely. The combined swell energy is moderate (638). It’s a good, clean wave for a point break like Rainbow Bay, though with that longer period, it might be a bit more lined up than usual. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year.

Everything else before that is either too small, too onshore, or just plain messy. The morning of Thursday, 20 August, has some size but the wind is cross-off and the period drops to 8 seconds, making it a bit of a junky windswell. That’s pretty much it for the first week.

Then we hit a big, dry spell. From Friday, 21 August, all the way through to Monday, 31 August, the swells are tiny – mostly under 3ft – and the wind is consistently onshore from the north. It’s a flat, blown-out run. The combined energy readings are mostly in the double digits or low triple digits, which tells you just how weak it is. There’s a glassy morning on Sunday, 23 August, but the swell is only 3ft and from the ENE, so it’s not doing much. A few days in there are more interesting for a kite than a paddle if you’re into that.

Now, the real standout, and the one to circle on your calendar, is Wednesday, 2 September. This is a long-range call, so keep an eye on the forecasts, but it looks promising. We’ve got a 8ft S swell with a 9-second period and strong offshore winds from the S. The combined swell energy is a massive 1370 (strong), so there’s plenty of power. This is going to be a hefty, powerful wave. At over 8ft, it’s only for experienced surfers, and the long period suggests it might be a bit too straight for the beach, but on a point like Rainbow Bay, it’ll be a ripper if you can handle the size. It’s the biggest and best-looking swell of the entire 16-day window, and the offshore wind should keep it glassy. The Tuesday before that (1 September) also has some size, but it comes with a “marginal” tag, so the Wednesday is the one to aim for.

So, to sum it up: a small, clean window on Wednesday, 19 August for the frothers, a long flat spell, and then a big, powerful, expert-only swell on Wednesday, 2 September.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue morning, min 16°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 16°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
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
2
2
2
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
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)
1.9
SE
8
2
ESE
8
1.7
ESE
9
1.5
SE
11
1.5
SE
10
1.3
SE
10
1.5
ESE
8
1.7
ESE
8
0.8
SE
8
0.8
ENE
6
0.9
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
8
1
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
8
0.7
E
8
0.7
ENE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
473
527
465
515
478
303
263
318
90
52
77
66
66
99
107
105
107
90
88
64
70
Wind (km/h)
20
SE
20
SE
10
SSE
15
SSE
15
SSE
15
S
10
SSE
10
E
5
W
10
N
15
NNE
10
NW
10
NNW
10
NE
5
WSW
5
E
10
ENE
5
WNW
10
N
15
NNE
15
NW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross
glassy
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
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
4:06AM0.98m
5:05PM1.53m
5:19AM1.04m
5:52PM1.62m
Low Tide
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
9:53AM0.56m
11:58PM0.62m
10:57AM0.52m
00:38AM0.52m
rain showers
clear
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:15
6:13
6:13
6:11
6:11
6:09
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:23
5:24
5:24
5:25
5:25
5:27
5:27
 mm
2
1
2
5
2
Temp °C
18
18
17
17
17
16
18
18
17
19
19
18
19
19
18
19
19
18
19
19
18
Feels °C
15
14
15
15
15
14
16
16
16
17
17
16
17
18
18
18
18
18
19
17
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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