Rainbow Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.16° S 153.55° E

Rainbow Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 pm 02 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rainbow Bay sea temperature is
20.8°C
0.2° 

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 2 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period, S swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period, SSE swell with 254 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period. 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 1.2m 9s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 06) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Mon 7th Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 8s
Best Surf 7AM (Mon 7th Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 8s
Most Powerful10AM (Tue 8th Sep)4ft (1.2m) 9s

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


The Lowdown

G’day, Rusty here.

Well, mate, I’ve got to be straight with you – the outlook for Rainbow Bay over the next 16 days is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with very little to get excited about. The first solid recommendation doesn’t pop up until the morning of Friday the 11th of September, so that’s a real gap of almost a week and a half of flat, messy, or just plain poor conditions. Until then, it’s a whole lot of nothing.

The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year – nothing unusual there.

Alright, let’s run through the few moments that might be worth a paddle.

Friday 11th September – Morning (Rainbow Bay, point)
This is the first real glimmer of hope. We’ve got a clean, moderate offshore wind from the SSE blowing at 16 mph, which is a major positive. The swell is a small 3 ft, but it’s coming from the SSE with a very long period of 17 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The combined wave energy is a solid 726 (moderate to strong). Now, those long-period swells can be a bit tricky at a beach break, but Rainbow Bay is a point, so it should groom up nicely. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast,” but given the offshore wind and the quality of the swell, this is your best bet. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, but with the clean conditions, it’ll be fun for all levels. Keep in mind crowds are often here.

Saturday 12th September – Morning (Rainbow Bay)
The morning sees a similar setup: SSE swell at 4 ft with a period of 10 seconds, clean with cross-offshore winds from the SE at 9 mph. The combined energy is 404 (moderate). The wave comment is “marginal surf forecast,” but it’s still surfable. The afternoon is a bit smaller at 4 ft and the comment is “surfable waves but very ordinary.” It’s okay, but nothing special.

Sunday 13th September – Morning (Rainbow Bay)
This is the last mentionable window. The swell drops to 3 ft from the SSE, period 10 seconds, with a light SE breeze at 6 mph creating clean conditions. The combined energy is 227 (moderate). The comment is “surfable waves but very ordinary.” It’s a small, clean morning that might be worth a look if you’re desperate for a session.

Honestly, the standout by a long shot is the Friday 11th morning. The combination of a long-period groundswell, offshore wind, and the point break setup should produce some clean, lined-up waves. It’s the only time in the whole forecast that feels like it has real potential. After that, things drop off again into poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: a lot of waiting, then one decent morning to aim for. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu morning, min 17°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 27°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Wed
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
E
10
1.1
N
5
0.5
E
9
1.2
N
5
1.2
N
6
0.4
E
10
0.8
SSE
5
0.4
E
9
0.5
S
10
1.1
N
5
1.3
N
6
1
N
6
0.3
E
10
0.3
E
10
0.7
S
8
0.7
S
10
0.6
S
9
1.2
SSE
9
1.6
SSE
6
1.3
SSE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
57
55
45
75
89
33
32
28
51
59
120
69
17
17
63
94
63
254
182
217
Wind (km/h)
20
N
20
NNW
20
NNW
25
N
10
NW
15
SE
10
E
5
WSW
10
N
25
N
20
NNW
10
N
15
SE
20
SSE
10
E
15
NE
5
SW
20
SE
20
SE
5
S
Wind State
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-off
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
High Tide
11:28PM1.27m
12:19PM1.49m
00:27AM1.14m
1:29PM1.49m
1:44AM1.05m
2:50PM1.54m
3:16AM1.03m
4:06PM1.62m
4:37AM1.09m
5:11PM1.72m
5:40AM1.20m
6:05PM1.80m
Low Tide
5:35PM0.42m
5:38AM0.30m
6:46PM0.49m
6:33AM0.35m
8:15PM0.52m
7:45AM0.38m
9:46PM0.47m
9:06AM0.38m
10:58PM0.39m
10:22AM0.33m
11:54PM0.29m
11:26AM0.26m
00:41AM0.22m
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:58
5:56
5:56
5:54
5:54
5:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:31
5:31
5:32
5:32
5:34
5:34
5:34
 mm
1
1
Temp °C
20
18
27
23
21
22
21
20
25
22
22
27
21
19
20
19
18
20
19
17
Feels °C
17
15
23
19
20
21
20
21
21
19
19
26
21
17
20
17
19
17
16
17
  • 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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