Surf Forecasts:
Rainbow Bay surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period, ENE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period, E swell with 246 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 10s. 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 Sunday (Aug 30) at 4PM. 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 Monday (Aug 31) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rainbow Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ over the next couple of weeks.
First off, I gotta be straight with you: the opening stretch is a real slow burn. Monday the 24th of August and Tuesday the 25th have some small waves, but the conditions are just ordinary—nothing to get excited about. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.
The real story starts to build around Thursday the 27th of August. We’ve got a 3ft to 4ft swell from the E, with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind is offshore or light cross-offshore. That’s gonna clean things up nicely at Rainbow Bay (point break). The combined energy is moderate (172 to 233), and while it’s not huge, the offshore wind makes it super fun for a beginner-friendly wave.
Now, the standout window is the morning of Tuesday the 1st of September. You’re looking at 6ft from the ESE, period 7 seconds, but the wind is light and cross-offshore. The combined energy is strong (405), and the guidance says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s the best combo on offer. It’s a bit sizey for beginners, but for anyone with a bit of experience, that’s a solid morning. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.
The following morning, Wednesday the 2nd of September, is also worth a mention. The swell drops a touch to 5ft from the ENE with a 9-second period, and the wind is glassy—total calm. The combined energy is still strong (367). That glassy, clean surface makes for gorgeous, peeling waves off the point.
After that, things fade out. The swell drops back to under 3ft, and the wind turns onshore or messy. The second week is mostly a write-off, with small, weak energy and poor conditions. There’s a little spike of 2ft on the 5th of September with a very long period (18 seconds) from the SE, but that’s tiny and not worth chasing.
So, if you’re paddling out, target the morning of Tuesday the 1st of September, or the glassy Wednesday morning on the 2nd. Those are the moments to make the most of.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 23°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 16°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | E 9 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 81 | 94 | 128 | 149 | 157 | 142 | 146 | 118 | 70 | 88 | 109 | 147 | 104 | 85 | 173 | 115 | 131 | 143 | 109 | 246 | 65 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:52PM1.62m | 6:12AM1.13m | 6:33PM1.69m | 6:54AM1.21m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:57AM0.52m | 00:38AM0.52m | 11:49AM0.47m | 1:12AM0.43m | 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 | |||||||
 |  |  | | |  | | | | | |  | | |  | | | | |  |  | |
 | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — |
 | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
| kJ | 81 | 94 | 128 | 149 | 157 | 142 | 146 | 118 | 70 | 88 | 109 | 147 | 104 | 85 | 173 | 115 | 131 | 143 | 109 | 107 | 65 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | NE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 9 | NE 12 | NE 13 |
| kJ | 40 | 49 | 77 | 47 | 28 | 17 | 8 | 10 | 39 | 44 | 53 | 104 | 58 | 60 | 68 | 68 | 51 | 52 | 92 | 5 | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 13 | SE 11 | S 17 | SSE 5 | SE 5 | SE 16 | NNE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 16 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NE 10 | N 15 | — |
| kJ | 41 | 33 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 65 | 28 | 19 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | — | — | — | N 4 | N 4 | NNW 5 | — | SW 3 | S 5 | SSE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | E 9 | ESE 6 |
| kJ | 3 | — | — | — | 9 | 22 | 17 | — | 3 | 34 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | 21 | 46 | 246 | 129 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 527 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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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