Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next 16 days for Rainbow Bay.

Right off the bat, I’ve gotta be straight with you – this is a quiet stretch. The surf is small, the energy is weak, and we’re not looking at any proper standouts. The swell is mostly coming from the east-northeast, but the size is barely hanging around the 3 ft to 4 ft mark, and the period is short, mostly 7 to 8 seconds. That’s windswell, not groundswell, so the waves are going to be a bit gutless and won’t hold much shape. The combined energy is moderate at best, hitting a peak of 281 on Sunday the 30th of August, but the wind and conditions keep it from being any good.

The water temperature is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Sunday the 23rd of August is a write-off. The wind is cross-off, but the swell is tiny and messy, and the energy is only 103. It’s just poor.

Monday the 24th is a little better. Morning has rain showers, but the wind is light cross-off, the swell is 3 ft from the east-northeast, and the energy nudges up to 161. The comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” That’s the best we’ve got so far, but it’s not worth getting excited about.

Tuesday the 25th is onshore wind from the north, and the swell is still small. The energy climbs to 176 in the afternoon, but the wind is ruining it. Poor.

Wednesday the 26th has cross-on wind and a bit of a bump in swell to 4 ft, but the period is only 7 seconds. The energy is 153. It’s choppy and not inviting.

Thursday the 27th is the first real flicker of hope. The morning has a moderate offshore wind from the south, 12 mph, with a 3 ft east-northeast swell and 8-second period. Energy is 146. The notes say “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The wind is clean, but the swell is just too small to make it fun. The afternoon sees the energy jump to 280, but the wind shifts to cross-off and the quality drops to poor.

Friday the 28th is similar – small, clean, but ordinary. Morning has light cross-off wind, 3 ft from the east, 8 seconds, energy 260. It’s surfable, but you’ll be fighting for scraps.

Now, Saturday the 29th of August is the best of the whole run. The morning is glassy – zero wind from the south-southwest – with a 3 ft swell from the east at 9 seconds. The energy is 236. That’s the cleanest window we get. The afternoon stays clean with a light cross-off breeze. If you’re going to paddle out, this is the morning to do it. The crowd potential is there, though – Rainbow Bay is a sheltered point, and when it’s glassy and small, it can get busy. But it’s the only real highlight.

Sunday the 30th has a moderate offshore in the morning, 3 ft from the east at 10 seconds, energy 246. It’s clean, but the swell is still small. The afternoon turns cross-off and the energy peaks at 281, but the quality is poor.

From Monday the 31st of August into the first week of September, it’s a slow decline. The swell drops, the wind turns onshore from the north, and the energy falls. The morning of the 31st has only 2 ft of swell and 93 energy – that’s weak. The afternoon has a 4 ft swell but a 6-second period, which is just short-period junk.

From Tuesday the 1st of September through to Monday the 7th of September, it’s all onshore wind from the north or north-northeast, with the swell staying between 2 ft and 4 ft. The energy is moderate, between 108 and 221, but the wind is ruining any chance of quality. The period is mostly 8 to 9 seconds, so there’s a bit of shape, but it’s not going to be clean.

So, the honest truth? There’s no standout session here. The glassy morning of Saturday the 29th of August is your best bet, and even that’s just small, clean, and ordinary. The rest of the 16 days is a long stretch of poor to very ordinary conditions. It’s a quiet period for Rainbow Bay, and sometimes that’s just how it goes. The forecasts can change, but right now, I’d keep the expectations low.

Rusty.

Read more