Rainbow Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.16° S 153.55° E

Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 pm 30 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
20.8° C
0.0° 

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 30 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 1 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 10s period, SE swell with 782 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period with S 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 (Jul 31) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s 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 2.1m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 31) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Fri 31st Jul)4ft (1.2m) 10s
Best Surf 1PM (Sat 1st Aug)5ft (1.6m) 10s
Most Powerful10PM (Sat 1st Aug)7ft (2.1m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking at Rainbow Bay. This is a classic point break, sheltered from the main swell, so it needs the right angle to get going. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start with no real standouts in the first few days. Friday the 31st offers some small 4ft S swell, but the wind is a moderate 12 mph offshore, so it’s clean enough for a beginner to have a splash. The energy is weak (318), so don’t expect much push. Saturday morning the 1st of August sees a similar 4ft SSE swell, but the energy creeps up to 273, and the offshore wind holds. It’s surfable but ordinary. Saturday afternoon brings a rain shower, a bump in size to 6ft SSE, and energy jumping to 532, but the wind goes cross-off, and the conditions are only marginal. Not worth getting excited about.

Now, Sunday the 2nd of August is where things start to look better. The morning has a clean 5ft SSE swell with a gentle offshore 9 mph wind. The energy is solid at 675, and the expectation is for good surf. The afternoon keeps the same vibe with 4ft and a gentle offshore. This is a solid option for the weekend. Monday the 3rd of August is arguably the best of this first week. The morning delivers 5ft SE swell, glassy conditions with a light offshore breeze, and energy at 581. The period is 10 seconds, giving it some shape. It’s clean, consistent, and the best on offer for the early part of the outlook.

After that, the window goes quiet from Tuesday the 4th through to Friday the 7th. The swell drops below 3ft, the wind goes cross-onshore, and the energy falls into the weak 100-200 range. There’s a small window on Thursday morning the 6th with 3ft SSE and clean conditions, but it’s really only for the longboard or a very small wave board.

The next real standout shows up a week later on Wednesday the 12th of August. The morning brings 5ft SSE swell with a cross-off 12 mph wind, energy at 414, and good conditions expected. But the afternoon is the pick: 5ft SSE swell, glassy, with energy jumping to 733. That’s a moderate energy pulse, and glassy conditions on a point break are a rare treat. This is the highlight of the whole outlook.

Thursday the 13th of August also has some promise. The morning has 4ft ESE swell with a longer 12-second period, moderate offshore wind, and energy at 690. It’ll be clean and have some power. The afternoon gets bigger to 7ft, but the period drops to 8 seconds, and the wind freshens to 19 mph offshore. That’s a lot of wind; it’s only for experienced surfers as it’s over 5ft.

The final day, Saturday the 15th of August, has a 4ft ESE swell with a long 13-second period, offshore wind, and energy at 539. It’s a good option for the long-range call, but with the period that long, the point will handle it well, though it might be a bit fat at times.

Overall, the best wave to get wet on is Monday the 3rd of August for the clean conditions and solid 5ft, and the absolute standout is the glassy session on Wednesday the 12th of August in the afternoon. Don’t forget the weekday crowds are possible at Rainbow Bay, especially on the good days.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
SSE
11
1.2
S
9
0.5
E
7
1.8
SSE
7
1.2
SSE
7
1.7
SSE
10
1.9
SE
9
1.4
SSE
9
0.8
SE
15
1.4
SSE
10
1.5
SE
10
1.4
SE
10
1.1
SE
10
0.8
SSE
9
0.6
SSE
8
0.5
ESE
9
0.6
ESE
8
0.7
ENE
10
0.5
E
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
130
256
24
303
131
522
653
322
299
371
486
404
230
92
47
45
51
96
40
Wind (km/h)
20
S
20
S
25
SSE
15
S
15
SSW
20
SSE
15
SSE
15
S
15
SSE
5
SE
10
SSE
10
ESE
5
WNW
5
NNW
15
NNE
10
WNW
0
SW
15
ESE
10
SSW
Wind State
off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
9:10AM1.27m
9:22PM1.78m
9:45AM1.30m
9:55PM1.72m
10:22AM1.33m
10:29PM1.64m
11:03AM1.35m
11:08PM1.54m
11:50AM1.37m
11:52PM1.41m
12:47PM1.40m
00:46AM1.28m
Low Tide
3:26AM0.35m
2:48PM0.38m
3:56AM0.33m
3:26PM0.39m
4:26AM0.32m
4:07PM0.41m
4:58AM0.31m
4:52PM0.44m
5:35AM0.31m
5:47PM0.49m
6:18AM0.31m
6:54PM0.54m
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:28
6:28
6:28
6:26
6:26
6:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:16
5:16
 mm
3
2
3
3
Temp °C
15
18
17
16
17
17
17
16
16
16
17
17
16
19
19
18
18
17
15
Feels °C
12
13
12
12
13
13
13
13
14
15
15
15
15
16
16
16
15
14
13
  • 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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