Mooloolaba Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for our little slice of coastal paradise.

Gotta be upfront, the next week is looking pretty average. We’ve got a serious lull settin’ in after a small pulse early on. The real standout, the one that’s got me stoked, is further out. For Friday the 17th of July, we’re looking at a solid run of swell with clean conditions.

The week starts off with the best of a fading pulse on Wednesday morning the 8th of July at Mooloolaba (Sunshine Coast). The sea is pumping with moderate wave energy (1266), pushing a 7ft swell from the SE. It’s got a solid 12-second period, so there’s some good power there. The water temp is 69°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want the wetsuit. Problem is, the wind is a cross-off from the SSE at 19 mph, making it a bit lumpy. It’s not the cleanest, but it’s the biggest we’ve got for a while.

Thursday morning the 9th looks better for quality. The swell drops to 5ft from the SE, period at 11 seconds, energy is moderate (638), but the wind swings to a clean offshore from the South at 12 mph. That’ll put some nice lines on it. That’s the pick of the first few days.

Then we hit a wall. From late Thursday afternoon right through to Thursday the 16th, it’s a proper drought. Swell drops below 3ft, the wind is messy or light, and the energy tanks to barely a ripple (down to single digits). It’s barely worth paddling out for the next week.

Hold onto your boardies, because Friday the 17th of July is the one we’ve been waiting for. The morning session is looking prime. We get a building 8ft SE swell with a short 9-second period, giving it moderate wave energy (894). The wind is a strong offshore from the SSW at 12 mph – that’s glassy, clean faces with that offshore texture. It’s a beach and reef setup, so those longer-period swells can sometimes break a bit straight, but with this shorter period, it should offer up some fun, punchy peaks. It’s a bit big for a beginner, but the rest of you will be grinning. The afternoon has the same size but the wind jumps to 25 mph offshore, making it brutally strong – hard to paddle into, so stick to the morning.

After that, Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th still hold some solid swell (5ft to 7ft) with fresh offshore winds, but the energy levels are up and down, and the conditions won’t be as clean as that Friday morning. The crowd factor at Mooloolaba is often an issue, so get there early for the good ones.

So there you have it. This week is a write-off, but next Friday the 17th is the real gem. Circle it.

Rusty.

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