Mooloolaba Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, mate, Rusty here. Let’s see what Mooloolaba’s got cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, so the outlook here is a bit of a mixed bag, and honestly, it’s a pretty slow start. We’ve got a solid pulse of swell rolling in, but the wind is gonna be the main character for the first few days, and not in a good way. We’re looking at a proper run of solid, chunky surf from Saturday the 18th of July right through to Tuesday the 22nd, but the wind is gonna be a problem for most of it. The standout window is actually a little later in the week, when things calm right down.

Let’s start with the opening act. Saturday, 18th July kicks off with a clean 7ft swell from the SE in the morning, but with a stiff 19 mph south wind blowing offshore, it’ll be a bit of a battle to get out the back. The combined energy is moderate at 739. By the afternoon, the swell bumps up to 8ft from the SE with a 10-second period, and the wind drops a touch to 16 mph, still offshore. It’s doable, but the wind is strong. The energy is up to a solid 1320.

Sunday the 19th is a write-off for a proper surf. The swell is a solid 12ft from the ESE, which is big and powerful, but that 25 mph SSE wind is cranking cross-off, making it a messy, blown-out affair. The energy is ramping right up to 2535, and it’s more of a wind-sport day than a stand-up paddle day. The same goes for Monday the 20th, with a 10ft ESE swell and 19 mph cross-off winds. The energy is still strong at 1812. Tuesday the 21st is a bit better, with the swell dropping to 8ft from the E, and the wind easing to 12 mph from the SE. It’s still cross-off, but cleaner. The energy is moderate at 1026.

Now, the real sweet spot—the highlight of the whole forecast—is Wednesday, 22nd July. The swell drops to a much more manageable 5ft from the E in the morning, but the wind is a gentle 9 mph from the SSE, keeping it cross-off and clean. The energy is 388. Then, in the afternoon, it’s an absolute gem. The swell sits at 5ft from the E, and the wind goes completely glassy at just 3 mph from the south. The combined energy is 337. This is the best window on offer. The surf break itself is a beach and reef setup, and with that size and clean conditions, it’s the pick of the entire period. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

After that, the energy fades. Thursday the 23rd is small and ordinary, with a 4ft E swell and a lighter offshore wind, but the period is short at 8 seconds. Friday the 24th sees a bit of a bump to 5ft from the SE, but with a short 6-second period and 12 mph cross-off winds, it’s not going to be anything special.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Saturday the 25th of July right through until the end of the month, the swell just drops away. We’re talking knee-high stuff, mostly under 3ft, with periods that are way too short. There’s a little pulse of long-period swell on Saturday, 1st August, with a 2ft SE swell and a 14-second period, generating 123 energy, but it’s so small it’s barely surfable. The wind is light and clean, but the waves just aren’t there.

So, to sum it up: the best surf is on Wednesday, 22nd July, especially the afternoon with that glassy 5ft E swell. Sunday through Monday is too big and windy for a good paddle, unless you’re into kite surfing. The rest of the period is a flat, quiet spell. The setup is a beach and reef, and with the crowds marked as “often,” you can expect a few takers out there on the good days, but it’s not a madhouse.

Rusty.

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