Mooloolaba Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this outlook for Mooloolaba is a tough one. We’ve got a 16-day window, but there’s a big old gap at the start where you might as well leave the board in the car. The first real chance of anything decent doesn’t show up until Monday the 17th, and even then, it’s not exactly firing on all cylinders.

Right now, through the weekend and into next week, the surf is pretty much flat and messy. We’re looking at weak, short-period windswell—nothing over 2ft and periods around 9 seconds, but the energy is just sad. The combined energy reads between 51 and 116 (weak), so there’s just nothing to work with. The winds are mostly cross-off or light, which keeps things clean, but there’s no wave to ride. This flat spell runs right through to Sunday the 16th.

Now, here’s where it gets a little interesting. On Monday the 17th, the swell kicks up a notch. We’ve got a 5ft ESE swell with a short 6-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 222 (moderate). The wind is a cross-off SSE at 15 mph, so it’s going to be a bit bumpy but rideable. Still, the short period means it’ll be a bit crumbly and sectiony. Not a classic, but it’s the first real sign of life.

The days that follow—Tuesday the 18th through to Sunday the 23rd—see the swell holding in that same range, 5ft to 7ft, mostly from the SE/ESE with periods of 6 to 10 seconds. The energy picks up significantly, especially on the 20th and 22nd afternoons, hitting 615 and 658 (strong). The wind is generally cross-off, which keeps the faces reasonably clean, but it’s not winning any awards. These are marginal days, more for the keen ones than the casual surfer.

The standout, if you can call it that, is Monday the 24th. The morning brings a 4ft E swell with a 9-second period, and the wind swings around to a light offshore SSW at 6 mph. That’s the cleanest we’re going to see all period. The combined energy is 295 (moderate), and the conditions are looking glassy and organised. The swell direction is E, which is a bit off the NE optimum for this break, but it’s still the best wave of the window. This is the one to aim for.

After that, it fades again. Tuesday the 25th sees a drop back to 4ft with a light cross-shore wind, and it looks like it’s done.

So, overall, don’t get your hopes up too much for the first week. The second week, particularly the 17th onwards, has some moderate, workable surf, but the real highlight is Monday the 24th morning. Crowds at Mooloolaba are often a thing, so expect some company if you’re out there for that one. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird there.

This is a spot that can be inconsistent, and this stretch is a prime example. But hey, it tends not to stay this poor for long. Keep an eye on it.

Rusty out.

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