Mooloolaba Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Mooloolaba. Honestly, mate, it’s a pretty grim stretch ahead. The water’s sitting at 68°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – you’ll feel that extra chill on the paddle out.

The first real chance to wet a line comes Saturday afternoon, 22 August. We’ve got a weak 3ft easterly swell with a short period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is only 113 (weak). Winds are a cross-off from the south at 9 mph, so it’s clean enough, but the waves are just ordinary. This is Mooloolaba, a beach and reef setup that’s inconsistent and often crowded, so don’t expect much.

Sunday morning, 23 August, looks similar: 3ft from the east-northeast, period 8 seconds, energy 126 (moderate). Winds are light and cross-off from the south-southeast at 6 mph, keeping it clean. But again, it’s surfable but very ordinary. Not a standout.

Monday morning, 24 August, drops to 3ft from the east-northeast, period 7 seconds, energy 77 (weak). Winds are light cross-off. It’s still flat and weak. The afternoon turns cross-shore, and conditions get poor.

Tuesday morning, 25 August, offers a glimmer – glassy conditions with winds from the southeast at only 3 mph. The swell is 3ft from the east-northeast, period 8 seconds, energy 110 (moderate). It’s clean, but the waves are small and ordinary. The afternoon goes to onshore northeasterlies, ruining it.

The rest of the week is a write-off. Wednesday morning, 26 August, has a tiny 3ft easterly swell, period 7 seconds, energy 103 (moderate), with light cross-off wind from the west. It’s clean but forgettable. Thursday morning, 27 August, sees a bump in size to 4ft from the east, period 8 seconds, but the wind picks up to 12 mph from the south-southeast, and it’s messy. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 4ft, energy 427 (strong), but it’s still only marginal.

Friday, 28 August, through to Sunday, 30 August, is a mix of small, weak swells and breezy, poor conditions. Nothing worth paddling out for.

Then, on Monday morning, 31 August, we finally get a pulse. Swell jumps to 6ft from the southeast, but the period is a short 6 seconds, and energy is 284 (moderate). Winds are light cross-off from the south-southeast at 9 mph, so it’s clean. This is the biggest wave of the forecast, but it’s still messy and short-period. For beginners, 6ft is pushing it. For the more experienced, it might offer a few fun ones, but don’t get your hopes up.

Tuesday morning, 1 September, is glassy and calm, but the swell drops to 2ft from the east, period 10 seconds, energy 129 (moderate). It’s clean but tiny.

From Wednesday, 2 September, to the end of the forecast on Sunday, 6 September, it’s a sad, long dry spell. Swells drop to 3ft and then 1ft, periods are short, and winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, often strong. The energy values fall to 49 and 37 (very weak). There’s nothing to recommend. The whole setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during this stretch.

The best on offer is the Monday morning, 31 August, with that 6ft spike, but it’s a short-period, average quality event. The glassy Tuesday morning, 1 September, is clean but tiny. That’s it. A long, ordinary run for Mooloolaba.

Rusty.

Read more