Rainbow Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.16° S 153.55° E

Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 pm 26 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
20.6°C
0.2° 

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 26 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 12s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, SSE swell with 563 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 7s period with ENE 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s. 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 1.7m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Thu 27th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 7s
Best Surf 7PM (Fri 28th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 12s
Most Powerful 4PM (Sun 30th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for Rainbow Bay.

Straight up, these next few weeks are a mixed bag. We’ve got a bit of a wait for anything decent, and there’s a big hole in the middle where the surf just isn’t worth paddling out for. But if you’re patient, there’s a real cracker of a day on the horizon.

The first real chance to wet a line comes on Thursday morning, 27th August. We’ve got a 5ft SSE swell pushing in with a clean offshore wind from the south. The water is sitting at 69°F which is about normal for this time of year, so no need to dig out the 5/4. The swell period is a short 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and won’t have much push, but it’s surfable if you’re keen. The combined energy is moderate (322).

Things get a bit more interesting on Sunday morning, 30th August. The swell bumps up to 6ft from the SSE, period lengthens to 10 seconds, and we’ve got clean offshore winds from the south. The wave energy is strong (633) – you’ll feel the extra oomph. This is the pick of the first week. It’s still a point break setup, so the longer period will help with shape, and it’s fairly consistent. Just be aware, crowds are often a thing here.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Monday afternoon the 31st through to the end of the first week, and right through the second week, it’s a grim run of small, weak, and onshore slop. Swell sizes drop below 3ft, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore from the north, and the energy readings are pitiful. You’ll be looking at a solid 8-day stretch of poor surf, right up until the 7th of September.

Now, for the one true standout. Monday morning, 7th September. This is the one to circle on the calendar. We’ve got an 8ft S swell rolling in with a long 11-second period from the south. The combined energy is massive at 2071. The wind is a light, clean cross-offshore from the ESE. This is excellent surf, but it’s big – too big for beginners. Only experienced surfers should be out there. At that size, the point will handle the energy well, but expect it to be powerful. This is a promising long-range call, but as always, keep an eye on it as it gets closer.

After that, the swell drops off quickly and we’re back to small, weak conditions for the rest of the forecast.

So, in short: the first week has a few okay windows, with Sunday the 30th being the best of that bunch. Then a long, flat gap. Then Monday the 7th of September is your real target – a big, clean swell for the experts.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Wed
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
0
1
1
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)
1.1
ENE
7
1.1
ENE
7
1.6
SSE
7
1.5
SSE
7
1.4
SSE
8
1.2
SSE
9
1
SSE
9
1.2
SSE
11
1
SSE
10
1.1
SSE
10
1.4
SSE
10
1.7
SSE
10
1.7
SSE
10
1.3
SSE
9
1.3
SSE
9
1.2
SSE
8
1
S
8
0.8
SSE
8
0.8
E
10
0.8
ENE
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
134
124
219
212
214
227
173
340
214
223
402
550
563
272
273
202
134
87
125
128
Wind (km/h)
10
ENE
20
S
20
SSE
20
SSE
15
S
5
SSE
15
ESE
5
SSW
15
SSE
20
SSE
20
S
25
S
25
SSE
10
SSW
20
S
15
SSE
10
SSE
5
SE
15
NNE
15
NW
Wind State
cross
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
7:10PM1.74m
7:31AM1.29m
7:45PM1.76m
8:06AM1.36m
8:18PM1.75m
8:40AM1.41m
8:51PM1.71m
9:14AM1.45m
9:25PM1.63m
9:51AM1.48m
10:01PM1.53m
10:32AM1.50m
10:41PM1.41m
Low Tide
1:44AM0.36m
1:15PM0.36m
2:14AM0.30m
1:53PM0.32m
2:43AM0.27m
2:31PM0.29m
3:13AM0.24m
3:10PM0.29m
3:43AM0.23m
3:52PM0.31m
4:16AM0.24m
4:39PM0.36m
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:05
6:05
6:03
6:03
6:01
6:00
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:28
5:29
5:29
5:30
5:30
5:30
5:30
 mm
2
1
2
2
2
Temp °C
22
19
19
18
17
19
18
17
18
17
17
18
18
17
18
18
17
19
19
18
Feels °C
22
17
16
15
15
18
16
17
16
14
14
13
13
15
16
16
16
18
17
16
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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