Mooloolaba Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Mooloolaba are a bit of a struggle. We’ve got some small, weak waves hanging around, but the conditions are ordinary for a lot of it. The good news is there are a few fleeting windows where it cleans right up, and if you’re patient, there’s a moment or two that’s worth a paddle.

The first real chance is Wednesday morning, August 26th. We’re looking at a tiny 3ft ENE swell, and the wind is a light WSW cross-off at 3 mph. It’s clean, but the energy is weak (117). It’s surfable, but very ordinary – you’ll be on a longboard or a foamie, working for every little ripple. Wednesday afternoon goes glassy, with the wind dropping to nothing, and the swell drops to 3ft from the east. It’s a nice, calm session for a beginner, but still small.

Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th are pretty much write-offs. The wind swings to the SSE and blows 9 to 16 mph, and while the surfaces are clean, the swell doesn’t have any push. Scores are low.

Now, here’s a quirky little standout. On Sunday afternoon, August 30th, the swell jumps to 6ft from the SE, but the period is a miserable 6 seconds. The combined energy bumps up to 299 (moderate), and the wind is a strong SSE cross-off at 16 mph. The surface will be clean, but that short period means the waves will be fat, lumpy, and hard to ride. It’s marginal at best – definitely not for beginners, and even experienced surfers will be frustrated. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

The rest of the first week and into early September is a long, poor run. From Monday the 31st through to Saturday the 5th, the swell stays small (2ft to 5ft), the period is short (6-8 seconds), and the wind is mostly cross or cross-on from the E or ESE. The energy never gets above 208 (moderate), and the scores are rock bottom. Conditions are choppy or bumpy, and there’s no real quality to chase.

A brief glimmer shows up on Monday morning, September 7th. The swell picks up to 4ft from the SE, with a 7-second period, and the wind is a light SE cross-off at 6 mph. The energy is 243 (moderate), and the surface is clean. It’s still not a classic, but it’s a surfable window. Tuesday morning, September 8th, is also clean with a 3ft ESE swell and a light SW cross-off, but the energy is weak (86).

After that, it’s a slow fade. The last few days of the forecast are tiny, with 1ft to 3ft swells and glassy conditions on Thursday morning, September 10th, but the energy is almost nothing (33). Not worth the drive.

Overall, we’ve got a long stretch of poor surf, with a few clean but small moments on Wednesday August 26th and Monday September 7th. The best on offer is that Sunday afternoon August 30th – it’s the biggest, but it’s a messy, short-period bump. If you’re a beginner, stick to the Wednesday morning session. For everyone else, keep your expectations low and your wax ready for a change.

Rusty.

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