Mission Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty. Let’s have a look at what Mission Beach is serving up over the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag here, but the real story is the building swell later on, though you’ll need to pick your moments with the wind.

Right off the bat, Saturday the 29th of August offers the first real chance. A nice, clean 4ft SW groundswell, coming in at a long 16 seconds, is rolling in. The wind is light offshore from the W at 6 mph in the morning, which is a dream scenario for this breakwater setup (Mission Beach). The water is a balmy 76°, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year – about 8° above normal, so it’s a real anomaly. The wave energy is moderate (632) and that long period means solid, well-shaped lines with long gaps between sets – perfect for an intermediate surfer. Just be aware it can get crowded here. This is a standout session, no doubt.

Sunday the 30th looks less appealing. The swell drops to a clean 3ft, but the wind swings to a cross-on SW breeze at 9 mph, making things fairly choppy. There’s a bit of energy left (624), but it’s not the same quality. The rest of this week into early September is a real flat spell. From Monday the 31st through to Thursday the 3rd of September, we have poor conditions with small, weak, and often messy swell. The energy drops into the 200–600 range, and winds are mostly cross-on or offshore but with moderate strength. It’s a bit of a write-off.

We do see a pulse of longer-period SW groundswell building again around Friday the 4th of September. The morning sees 3ft at a very long 17 seconds, with moderate energy (886). However, the wind is cross-on from the SW at 9 mph, so it’s not clean. The next few days are similar – some clean morning windows on Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th with light offshore winds and 3–3ft swell, but the quality is only marginal due to questionable tides.

Now, here’s the big one. Tuesday the 8th of September is the standout of the second week. The swell is forecast to jump to a solid 8ft on the Tuesday morning, then peak at 12ft in the afternoon. The energy is very strong (1862–3305). The direction is SSW, which is off the optimum SW for this spot, and the wind is a light cross-on from the WNW at 9 mph, leaving it choppy. Because the swell is over 8ft, it’s only for experts. The swell period is short at 11 seconds, so it’ll be more of a power surge than a clean, long-period wave. Honestly, with those conditions and the size, this might actually be more interesting for kite surfing than paddling in.

After that peak, the swell drops off quickly. Wednesday the 9th sees it fade to 5ft, then it goes consistently small and poor for the rest of the forecast into the second week. From around Saturday the 12th of September onward, expect a run of tiny, weak surf with energy below 400 and choppy, cross-onshore winds. It’s a proper lull.

So, to wrap it up: your best bets are Saturday morning the 29th of August for a classic, clean groundswell session, and for experts only, the energy spike on Tuesday the 8th of September, though you’ll be fighting the wind and size. The rest is mostly flat or messy.

Stay frothing,
Rusty.

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