Mooloolaba Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for our local stretch. To be straight up with you, the next 16 days are a bit of a grind. We’ve got a long stretch of average-to-poor conditions before we see a glimmer of something decent right at the very end. If you’re itching for a paddle, patience is the name of the game.

The first real chance for anything worth getting wet for doesn’t arrive until Thursday the 20th of August. Before that, from Sunday the 16th right through to Wednesday the 19th, it’s a write-off. The swell is there, running 4ft to 7ft from the SE turning ESE, but with a cross-off breeze and short period around 6 to 8 seconds, it’s just messy and blown out. A lot of energy for not much reward, with combined wave energy sitting mostly between 281 and 501 – that’s a lot of power (moderate-to-strong energy) but with no shape to it. For a beginner-friendly spot like Mooloolaba, it’s too much and too rough.

Thursday the 20th sees the first slight improvement. We get a little drop in size to 4ft from the SE, and the wind eases to a gentle breeze, but it’s still cross-off. The combined wave energy drops to 346 (still moderate), and the period nudges up to 8 seconds. The morning looks better than the afternoon, but honestly, the rating only calls it marginal. It’s a pass for me unless you’re desperate to get the salt off your board.

Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are quiet. Friday’s 3ft swell from the ESE is weak (energy of 171) and cross-shore winds ruin it. Saturday morning, however, is a little moment of calm. We get glassy conditions, winds go calm at 0 mph, and a small 4ft E swell rolls in with 8-second period and combined energy of 196 (still weak-to-moderate). It’s clean and surfable, but nothing special. The crowd factor at Mooloolaba is ‘often’, so expect company.

From Sunday the 23rd through to Friday the 28th, it’s mostly a flat and quiet stretch. Swell drops below 3ft for days, wave energy plummets to between 17 and 89 (weak energy), and the winds are all over the shop. We get a few offshore or glassy moments on the 25th and 28th, but with only 1ft to 3ft of swell, it’s barely worth the paddle. A few longboarders might get some glide, but it’s a poor run.

Now, the standout – and I mean the *only* standout in this entire outlook – comes on Monday the 31st of August. We’ve got a solid 6ft swell from the ENE with an 8-second period and combined wave energy of 408 (strong energy). More importantly, the wind goes offshore from the south at a light 6 mph. That’s clean conditions. It’s not perfect – the period is a bit short, so the waves won’t have that long, lined-up feel, but for Mooloolaba, this is the best on offer in the whole window. The forecast confidence for something this far out is okay, but it’s promising. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild.

If you can wait, that Monday the 31st is your session. It won't be a world-class day, but it will be the most fun you'll have in this dry spell. The rest of the time? Keep the board in the car, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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