Rainbow Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.16° S 153.55° E

Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 11 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
20.9° C
0.3° 

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 11 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 16 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with 3,188 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 11 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s period with ESE 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 Saturday (Jul 11) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 9s. 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 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 16) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4PM (Sat 11th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 12s
Best Surf 7PM (Fri 17th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 10s
Most Powerful 4AM (Thu 16th Jul)13ft (4.0m) 10s

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


Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what Rainbow Bay is cooking up for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a slow start, but if you can wait, there’s some serious juice coming. The first few days are pretty quiet. Saturday the 11th is the only early window worth jumping on. Water temp is about normal for this time of year.

Saturday, July 11 is your early go-to. Rainbow Bay has a clean 5ft swell from the southeast, period at 10 seconds, and the wind is glassy – dead still. That’s a sweet combo for a point break. The combined energy is moderate (587), and it’s a sheltered spot, so it’ll hold shape nicely. The afternoon cleans up even more with a 4ft swell from the east-southeast, a 12-second period, and still glassy. This is the pick of the early week. Crowds are often here, so get there early.

From Sunday the 12th through to Wednesday the 15th, it’s flat. Swell drops below 3ft, and the wind turns messy on tiny, weak waves. Nothing to get excited about.

Then things get interesting. From Thursday the 16th, a big pulse of swell hits. Thursday morning sees 12ft from the south-southeast, but it’s blowing 35 km/h cross-offshore. That’s a lot of wind. The combined energy is strong (2443), but the conditions are marginal. Friday the 17th keeps the 12ft swell, still with strong cross-off winds around 30 km/h. The energy is very strong (2338–2418), but it’s still a bit rough.

The standout window is Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19. Saturday morning has 12ft from the southeast, 10-second period, with cross-off winds easing to 25 km/h. But the afternoon is where it’s at: same 12ft swell, but the wind switches to a clean offshore breeze from the south-southeast at 25 km/h. The energy is strong (2241), and it’s rated as excellent for experienced surfers. This is big, powerful surf – not for beginners. Sunday morning the 19th is the real gem: 10ft from the southeast, 11-second period, with offshore winds at 20 km/h. Energy is very strong (3829). This will be an absolute freight train at the point. The afternoon eases to 8ft but stays clean with offshore winds. This is the best on offer – big, clean, and powerful.

After that, the swell slowly drops through the rest of the week. Monday the 20th is still fun at 6ft with clean conditions, and Tuesday the 21st is smaller but rideable. Wednesday the 22nd sees a 6ft bump from the southeast with a nice 11-second period and light offshore winds – good for a session.

Thursday the 23rd morning is another standout: 10ft from the south, 11-second period, and absolutely glassy – zero wind. That’s a rare, perfect setup for a point break. The energy is very strong (2957). If you can get out there, it’ll be magic. The afternoon drops to 6ft but stays clean.

Friday the 24th is still solid with 5ft and glassy conditions in the morning, then clean offshore in the afternoon. Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th fade out with smaller, choppier conditions and shorter periods.

Bottom line: the first week is a write-off except for Saturday the 11th. The real deal is from Saturday the 18th through to Thursday the 23rd, with Sunday the 19th and Thursday the 23rd morning being the absolute highlights. This is expert-level surf on the bigger days – heavy, powerful, and clean. Get on it.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 13°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, fresh winds from the SSE by Thu morning).

Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
1
1
2
2
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
SE
10
1.3
ESE
12
1.3
ESE
11
1.1
SE
10
0.9
ESE
10
0.7
SE
10
0.6
ESE
9
0.5
SE
9
0.6
S
8
0.3
S
9
0.2
ESE
10
0.2
ESE
10
0.2
ESE
9
0.2
E
9
3.5
SSE
9
3.5
SSE
10
3.5
SSE
9
3.5
SSE
9
3.5
SE
9
3.5
SE
10
3.5
SE
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
384
429
389
248
175
98
55
38
46
14
10
10
9
7
2176
2443
1853
1941
2323
2418
2177
Wind (km/h)
5
S
5
NNE
10
NW
20
WNW
15
NW
10
WSW
0
SE
10
ENE
10
W
5
S
10
ESE
10
SW
10
S
30
S
25
SSW
35
SSE
35
SSE
30
SSE
30
SSE
30
SSE
20
SSE
Wind State
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
5:41PM1.76m
5:54AM1.19m
6:37PM1.88m
6:55AM1.21m
7:29PM1.97m
7:49AM1.24m
8:17PM2.01m
8:40AM1.27m
9:03PM2.00m
9:27AM1.29m
9:47PM1.94m
10:12AM1.30m
10:28PM1.83m
Low Tide
10:49AM0.25m
00:20AM0.38m
11:46AM0.21m
1:18AM0.29m
12:40PM0.17m
2:10AM0.22m
1:31PM0.16m
2:59AM0.20m
2:20PM0.18m
3:43AM0.20m
3:07PM0.23m
4:25AM0.24m
3:53PM0.31m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:37
6:37
6:37
6:35
6:35
6:35
6:35
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:05
5:05
5:05
5:06
5:06
5:07
5:07
 mm
3
1
1
3
2
5
Temp °C
17
17
16
21
22
18
17
17
16
17
17
16
17
17
16
19
19
18
19
18
17
Feels °C
16
16
15
17
19
15
15
15
14
14
15
14
11
11
10
12
13
12
13
12
13
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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