Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Rainbow Bay.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 69°, which is only about 0.9° cooler than the long-term average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there – just your standard late summer feel.

Alright, the skinny is: this 16-day window starts off pretty grim. We’ve got a run of very ordinary to poor conditions from the 7th right through to the evening of the 14th. That’s over a week of waiting for something decent. The swell is small, mostly around 3ft to 4ft, and the wind is all over the shop – cross-on, onshore, or just too light and inconsistent to clean things up. The combined energy is mostly weak to moderate (values between 83 and 239), and the period is short (7 to 9 seconds), so it’s going to be a mushy, bumpy mess. Honestly, not worth paddling out for.

Now, the real standout comes on the morning of Friday the 14th. That’s when things finally click. We’ve got a solid 5ft of southerly swell rolling in, with a period of 8 seconds, and the magic is the light southerly offshore wind. The water will be clean, the lines will be proper. The combined energy jumps to 665 (moderate), which tells you there’s real push behind it. This is the best on offer for the whole outlook – a proper Friday morning session.

Saturday the 15th morning is also a good call, with 5ft of southerly swell and a moderate offshore breeze from the south. Combined energy is 633, so still plenty of juice. The waves will be clean and well-shaped, but it’s not quite as standout as Friday because the wind is a little stronger.

After that, the wind stays offshore for a few days, but the swell starts to drop off and the period gets shorter. From the 17th onwards, the wave heights are around 3ft to 5ft, but the period is down to 6 or 7 seconds and the combined energy drops to 198-436. The wind is still offshore so it’s clean, but it’s just not the same quality. By the 21st and 22nd, we’re back to small, weak surf.

So, to wrap it up: if you’re a beginner, the swell stays under 5ft for most of the period, so it’s manageable, but the wind and quality are the real issue. The only real standout for a good, clean session is the morning of Friday the 14th. That’s your window.

Rusty.

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