Surf Forecasts:
Rainbow Bay surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, SSE swell with 368 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period with SSE 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 Sunday (Aug 30) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s is also forecast. 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 1.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rainbow Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, right now things are looking pretty average at Rainbow Bay. We’ve got a bit of swell around, but the quality just isn’t there for most of the run. The first week is rough – lots of poor surf conditions with onshore winds and choppy water. The water temperature is sitting at 69°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The one clear standout lands on Friday the 11th of September. That morning is shaping up to be the pick of the bunch. We’re looking at a solid 7ft groundswell rolling in from the south (S) with a very long period of 13 seconds – that’s proper energy. The combined swell energy is cranked up at 2120 (strong to very strong), and you’ll have clean, moderate offshore winds from the SSE. This one’s got “excellent” written all over it, but at this size it’s only for experienced surfers. The long period means the sets will be meaty and a bit widely spaced, which is perfect for a point break like this. Expect it to be a busy session though – it’s often crowded here. The SSE swell direction also matches the optimum direction for the spot, so the waves should line up nicely.
A secondary call is the Saturday the 12th morning, also clean and offshore, with a 7ft S swell and a 12-second period, energy at 1724. Still a big day for the crew who know what they’re doing. Winds hold with a S offshore at 12 mph, so the surface is glassy and smooth again.
Before that, we’ve got a long stretch of mediocrity from now (August 30) right through the end of the first week. Many days score poorly due to cross-on or onshore winds, small bumps, and messy conditions. There’s a brief blip on the morning of Sunday August 31 where you might find a clean 4ft wave if you’re desperate, but it’s not worth getting too excited about.
After the Saturday 12th peak, we fade back into small, weak swell and poor conditions through to the end of the forecast on the 14th of September. So, in a nutshell: if you’re planning a session, mark the morning of Friday the 11th of September. It’s got size, power, clean wind, and a long period swell – a proper standout for those who can handle it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 16°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Thu morning, min 18°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 7 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | N 5 | N 5 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 9 | N 6 | N 6 | SSE 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 286 | 405 | 325 | 218 | 255 | 143 | 94 | 72 | 68 | 70 | 52 | 45 | 45 | 60 | 67 | 33 | 32 | 45 | 83 | 106 | 33 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | off |
High Tide | 9:25PM1.63m | 9:51AM1.48m | 10:01PM1.53m | 10:32AM1.50m | 10:41PM1.41m | 11:20AM1.50m | 11:28PM1.27m | 12:19PM1.49m | 00:27AM1.14m | 1:29PM1.49m | 1:44AM1.05m | 2:50PM1.54m | 3:16AM1.03m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:10PM0.29m | 3:43AM0.23m | 3:52PM0.31m | 4:16AM0.24m | 4:39PM0.36m | 4:53AM0.26m | 5:35PM0.42m | 5:38AM0.30m | 6:46PM0.49m | 6:33AM0.35m | 8:15PM0.52m | 7:45AM0.38m | 9:46PM0.47m | ||||||||
 | |  | | |  | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — |
 | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 28 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 25 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | NNE 5 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | S 9 | NNE 6 | S 11 | NNE 6 |
| kJ | 35 | 42 | 39 | 23 | 22 | 143 | 94 | 72 | 68 | 70 | 48 | 45 | 45 | 28 | 49 | 35 | 25 | 45 | 56 | 58 | 119 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 15 | NE 12 | NE 13 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | E 8 | E 10 | E 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | E 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 4 | NNE 5 | S 10 | E 11 | SSE 10 |
| kJ | 8 | 6 | 7 | 33 | 28 | 22 | 73 | 71 | 41 | 53 | 52 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 28 | 33 | 6 | 15 | 67 | 20 | 33 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | N 15 | NE 13 | NE 13 | E 12 | E 11 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SE 11 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NNE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 4 | SSE 10 | SSE 5 | E 9 | SE 16 | E 10 |
| kJ | 2 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 36 | 25 | 22 | 33 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 39 | 5 | 32 | 7 | 27 | 10 | 18 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | — | — | E 5 | N 4 | N 4 | N 4 | N 4 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | SSW 4 | SSE 4 | — | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 |
| kJ | 286 | 405 | 325 | 218 | 255 | — | — | 7 | 19 | 11 | 28 | 24 | 25 | 60 | 67 | 15 | 18 | — | 83 | 106 | 153 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 176 | 10 | 10 | 183 | 10 | 16 | 140 | 1 | 16 | 53 | 0 | 40 | 224 | 0 |
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.
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