
Surf Forecasts:
Rainbow Bay surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 7 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period, E swell with 235 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 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 Friday (Aug 07) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rainbow Bay in the next 16 days are 1.2m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 10) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rainbow Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. I’ve been staring at the charts for this stretch, and it’s a bit of a slow-burner, but there’s a proper payoff if you’re patient.
Right now, the first week is pretty flat and ordinary. The swell is small, around 2ft to 3ft, with a weak period well under 10 seconds. The combined energy is low, barely getting into the triple digits (165 at best), and it’s mostly from the east or east-northeast—which isn’t the ideal direction for Rainbow Bay. A few mornings offer glassy conditions, like Thursday morning, but the waves are just too weak to get excited about. It’s not until Saturday morning, the 8th, that we see "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" with a 3ft ENE swell and a clean cross-off breeze. The water temperature is sitting at 69°F, about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.
The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, kicks off on Thursday, the 13th of August. This is the gem of the forecast. We’ve got a solid 8ft swell from the SSE, with a period of 9-10 seconds, and the combined energy just jumps into the very strong range (1047-1114). The wind is a moderate offshore from the south, and the forecast calls for "very good surf conditions." This is the kind of day that gets the heart pumping. The swell direction is right on the money for the optimum from the southeast, and that offshore breeze will keep the faces clean and lined up. For experienced surfers, this is a proper session. Beginners, be warned—this is pushing into the “too big” zone.
The excellent conditions roll into Friday, the 14th, with 8ft waves from the south in the morning (combined energy of 1610, the biggest of the run) and offshore winds. It’s big, powerful, and for experts only. The period drops to 8 seconds by the afternoon, but it’s still a solid 7ft. The run continues through the weekend and into the following week with a consistent 5ft to 7ft range from the SSE, mostly under offshore winds. The wave quality holds up as "good" through Monday, the 17th, and Tuesday, the 18th, before it starts to ease off by Wednesday, the 19th.
The only real caveat with this spot, Rainbow Bay, is that it is a point break and it’s "fairly consistent," but it can get crowded. The "often" crowds label means you won’t be alone out there, especially when the swell lights up. That’s just the price of a good wave.
So, the bottom line: the first week is a write-off. Don’t bother. But from Thursday, the 13th of August, through to the following Wednesday, the 19th, this place is on. The standout is definitely Thursday, the 13th, and Friday, the 14th, for the biggest, cleanest, most powerful swell. The long-range stuff is promising, but keep an eye on it as we get closer.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Wed morning, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | ESE 9 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 8 | ENE 7 | SSE 10 | ENE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
154 | 86 | 59 | 41 | 40 | 68 | 55 | 86 | 74 | 67 | 225 | 219 | 189 | 235 | 160 | 127 | 101 | 103 | 117 | 142 | 110 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:47PM1.40m | 00:46AM1.28m | 1:54PM1.44m | 1:54AM1.16m | 3:09PM1.51m | 3:16AM1.09m | 4:22PM1.62m | 4:38AM1.09m | 5:27PM1.74m | 5:48AM1.14m | 6:24PM1.85m | 6:46AM1.21m | 7:14PM1.92m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:54PM0.54m | 7:10AM0.32m | 8:18PM0.56m | 8:12AM0.33m | 9:49PM0.52m | 9:23AM0.31m | 11:08PM0.43m | 10:32AM0.27m | 00:12AM0.33m | 11:35AM0.22m | 1:05AM0.24m | 12:31PM0.17m | 1:51AM0.18m | ||||||||
6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
— | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | ESE 9 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | NNE 6 | N 6 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 |
154 | 86 | 59 | 41 | 40 | 68 | 48 | 86 | 65 | 67 | 225 | 219 | 189 | 235 | 160 | 80 | 67 | 103 | 117 | 142 | 110 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | ENE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | S 5 | E 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NNE 8 | NE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | NNE 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | S 10 |
7 | 32 | 57 | 34 | 33 | 7 | 55 | 54 | 74 | 46 | 44 | 29 | 46 | 46 | 16 | 127 | 101 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 55 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | SE 8 | S 6 | S 7 | S 7 | SSE 10 | S 5 | SSE 5 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 14 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 8 | E 13 | NE 7 | N 5 | S 10 | NE 7 |
3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 40 | 4 | 28 | 26 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 12 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | NNE 3 | — | SSW 2 | S 6 | — | — | S 4 | — | S 3 | SSE 4 | — | — | NNE 2 | N 5 | NNW 5 | W 4 | W 3 | SSW 4 | — | — |
1 | 3 | — | 1 | 22 | — | — | 6 | — | 2 | 3 | — | — | 1 | 52 | 78 | 10 | 2 | 2 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 176 | 157 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 176 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gold Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Latest Updates
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.











