Surf Forecasts:
Rainbow Bay surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 8s period, SSE swell with 477 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 26 Aug, 7PM (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 Wednesday (Aug 26) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rainbow Bay in the next 16 days are 2.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rainbow Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s size up Rainbow Bay for the next couple weeks. It’s a slow kick-off, but there’s one cracker hiding in the second week that’ll get the heart rate up.
We start quiet. Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th are a write-off – small waves, mixed-up winds. Not worth the paddle.
Friday the 28th is still tiny, but clean. Swell’s a measly 4ft from the SSE, period around 9 seconds, with light offshore or clean cross-off wind. Combined energy sits at 257. It’s surfable but ordinary – knee-to-waist high at best. Saturday the 29th is much the same with clean 3ft SSE waves. Energy’s a bit better at 282, but still just a limp wave.
Now Sunday the 30th is where it gets real. We’re looking at a solid 7ft SSE swell in the morning, period 8 seconds, with strong offshore southerly winds at 15 mph. The combined energy jumps to 560. That’s head-high to a bit overhead, punchy, and clean. The afternoon holds at 6ft with similar conditions. This is the first standout. Not for beginners – that size is getting up there – but if you’ve got some experience, get in early. Crowds are often an issue here.
Monday the 31st steps down to 5ft SSE with light offshore breezes. Clean and surfable, but the energy drops to 399. Still a decent session.
From Tuesday the 1st of September through Saturday the 6th of September, we hit a long flat spell. Waves barely reach 3ft, most of it is onshore junk, and energy crashes into triple or even double digits. That’s a six-day gap of nothing.
But hold onto your board, because Monday the 7th of September is the real prize. Morning delivers a 10ft SSE swell with an 8-second period and light offshore southerly winds at 6 mph. The combined energy is a massive 1044 – that’s a serious, powerful ocean. Double-overhead plus, clean, and for experts only. The point at Rainbow Bay will handle that size well. Crowds are likely, but with that much water moving, there’s room. The afternoon drops to 7ft with a cross-off breeze, still good but less perfect.
After that, Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th flatten back into small, onshore junk. Thursday the 10th offers a last whisper: 4ft E swell and glassy conditions in the morning, but it’s knee-high and weak.
So, the two standouts in this 16-day window are Sunday the 30th of August and Monday the 7th of September. The 7th is the bigger, more powerful day for those with the skills. The rest is mostly flat or poor. Don’t lose hope – forecasts can shift, and Rainbow Bay has a way of turning on when you least expect it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Warm (max 21°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon morning, min 15°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 10 | E 10 | ENE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
147 | 120 | 91 | 84 | 158 | 220 | 184 | 181 | 173 | 209 | 201 | 365 | 477 | 363 | 203 | 256 | 186 | 134 | 98 | 94 | 157 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-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 | 12:34PM0.41m | 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 | ||||||||
6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | |
— | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 |
Feels °C | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SSE 10 | E 9 | E 8 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | S 8 | S 8 | E 5 | E 10 | ENE 10 |
147 | 120 | 91 | 84 | 116 | 220 | 184 | 181 | 173 | 209 | 94 | 51 | 67 | 61 | 59 | 96 | 186 | 134 | 36 | 94 | 157 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | NE 8 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 16 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | NE 7 | NE 10 | NE 15 | NE 15 | NE 13 | SSE 20 | E 9 | E 11 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 |
8 | 10 | 40 | 21 | 5 | 87 | 64 | 62 | 72 | 71 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 37 | 38 | 114 | 90 | 90 | 74 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | N 5 | S 11 | SE 16 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 11 | NE 7 | NE 10 | NE 6 | NE 15 | NE 15 | S 20 | SE 16 | SE 18 | SSE 16 | E 10 | E 5 | NE 11 |
13 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 47 | 99 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 51 | 100 | 98 | 28 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 3 | — | SW 2 | S 5 | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | E 6 | E 5 | — | — | — |
3 | — | 1 | 62 | 158 | — | — | — | — | — | 201 | 365 | 477 | 363 | 203 | 256 | 39 | 34 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 0 | 6 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gold Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











