Mooloolaba Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking for the Mooloolaba stretch over the next couple of weeks. It’s a mixed bag, but there are a couple of sessions that could be worth a paddle.

The forecast kicks off on Wednesday the 19th with a pulse of east swell. That first morning is pumping a bit, with chest-high waves around 6 feet, but it’s a bit of a tease. The wind is a cross-off from the SE, so it’s clean, but the period is short at 7 seconds – that’s lumpy, close-out stuff. The water is sitting at 67°, which is a bit colder than average for this time, so you might want a wetsuit. The combined energy is moderate (432). It’s surfable, but not a standout.

Thursday the 20th stays similar in size, around 5 feet, but the wind swings cross-shore from the ESE, bringing in some cross-chop. The quality is poor. We’re entering a lull.

Friday the 21st is a total write-off. Small, weak waves and the wind is all wrong. Swell drops to 4 feet and the energy is weak (155). Frustrating.

The real highlight, and I mean the only one worth setting an alarm for, is Saturday morning, August 22nd. The swell is small, around 3 feet from the east, but the magic is in the wind – it’s glassy. Dead calm. The combined energy is weak (119), but those clean, glassy conditions at a beach and reef setup like Mooloolaba will make the most of it. It’s inconsistent, so you’ll be waiting for sets, but the wave quality will be the best of the week. It’s a small-wave longboard day. Crowds are often here, so expect company.

Sunday the 23rd morning offers a similar glassy start with 4 feet of ENE swell, but it’s a bit more ordinary. Still worth a look if you missed Saturday.

After that, we hit a long dry spell. From Monday the 24th right through to Saturday the 29th, the swell is tiny, mostly under 3 feet, with weak energy (mostly under 100). The wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, making for poor conditions. There’s a brief clean-up on the 26th and 29th with cross-off winds, but the swell is too small to care about. That’s a gap of nearly a week with nothing going on.

Then, on Sunday, August 30th, a new swell shows up. The morning sees 4 feet from the SE with a period of 9 seconds and a moderate energy of 207. The wind is a fresh cross-off from the SW, so it’ll be clean. This is your second standout. It’s not huge, but it’s a solid, clean pulse that should offer some fun lines. The afternoon drops to 3 feet but the energy stays moderate (171).

Monday the 31st morning has a bit of size but also a strong offshore wind from the S at 12 mph. The swell is only 2 feet, but the period stretches to 10 seconds. The energy is low (68), but it’s clean. Not a standout.

The first week of September looks grim. The swell is tiny, under 2 feet, and the wind is kicking up. The only change is a jump in size on Thursday the 3rd, with 5 feet of short-period windswell (6 seconds) and moderate energy (182), but the wind is strong and cross-off, so it’s just messy. Not worth a paddle.

So, to wrap it up: the best bet is the glassy Saturday morning the 22nd for small, clean waves, and the Sunday the 30th for a slightly bigger, clean SE swell. Don’t hold your breath for the rest.

Rusty.

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