This is a regional read for the whole Mendocino & Sonoma coast — global wave model with public buoys nearby to sanity-check it. Mornings lean toward cross-shore winds (100% of the morning windows with data); afternoons lean toward cross-shore winds (86%). Confidence is reasonable for the first 4 days and drops to "rough estimate" after that.
Board ranges below are each board's full min→max spectrum from the Quivr catalog — the same chart the app draws — and "fits" counts how many of this week's half-day windows a board's wave and power windows overlap. Nothing here is a guess about a particular beach.
Estimates come from a global ocean wave model sampled offshore and translated into ranges. Actual size varies from beach to beach along this stretch; sheltered spots run smaller. Reads describe the whole coast, not one break — check wind and tide at your spot before paddling out. Reads are refreshed weekly on this page and several times a day in the Quivr app, which also matches each day against the boards in your own quiver. Notes on this week's data: Most of the wave energy is local wind chop rather than swell — expect a disorganised, weak surface. The main swell arrives at an angle to this coast, so expect the smaller end of the range on most beaches.
Day by day: Sep 21–27, 2026
Morning is 6am–noon, afternoon is noon–7pm local. Words come straight from the regional read; "No data" means the wave model had no hours for that window.
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon Sep 21 | Overhead · moderate push · moderate cross-shore wind — some texture | Overhead · moderate push · moderate cross-shore wind — some texture | Fairly confident |
| Tue Sep 22 | Overhead to double-overhead · solid push · strong cross-shore wind — some texture | Overhead to double-overhead · solid push · strong cross-shore wind — some texture | Fairly confident |
| Wed Sep 23 | Overhead · moderate push · strong cross-shore wind — some texture | Overhead · moderate push · strong cross-shore wind — some texture | Reasonable estimate |
| Thu Sep 24 | Overhead · moderate push · moderate cross-shore wind — some texture | Head- to overhead · moderate push · light cross-shore wind | Reasonable estimate |
| Fri Sep 25 | Head-high · mellow, not much push · strong cross-shore wind — some texture | Overhead · moderate push · strong cross-shore wind — some texture | Rough estimate |
| Sat Sep 26 | Head- to overhead · moderate push · moderate cross-shore wind — some texture | Head- to overhead · moderate push · moderate cross-shore wind — some texture | Trend only |
| Sun Sep 27 | Overhead · moderate push · light cross-shore wind | Head- to overhead · moderate push · light wind | Trend only |
Boards that fit the Mendocino & Sonoma coast this week
| Board | Fits | Wave size | Power | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panda Surfboards NOZ V1 | 14 of 14 windows | Head-high → double-overhead+ | Moderate | Intermediate to advanced |
| Panda Surfboards Dolly Dagger | 14 of 14 windows | Head-high → double-overhead+ | Moderate | Intermediate |
| DHD MF Lightning | 14 of 14 windows | Head-high → double-overhead+ | Moderate | Intermediate to advanced |
| Proctor SR-71 | 13 of 14 windows | Chest-high → double-overhead+ | Punchy | Beginner-friendly to advanced |
| Lost / Mayhem Sub Scorcher 2 (Single Wing Swallow) | 14 of 14 windows | Chest-high → double-overhead+ | Moderate | Intermediate to advanced |
| Haydenshapes Hypto Krypto | 14 of 14 windows | Waist-high → double-overhead+ | Moderate | Beginner-friendly to intermediate |
| Lost / Mayhem California Twin Pin | 14 of 14 windows | Head-high → overhead | Moderate | Beginner-friendly to intermediate |
The picks, in order
1. Panda Surfboards NOZ V1
Panda Surfboards NOZ V1 runs head-high to double-overhead+; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its moderate power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A twin fin with an intermediate to advanced skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The NOZ V1 offers a unique and spicy ride, designed for powerful surfers who want to leverage their rails.
Category: Twin fin · Squash tail · Catalog ability: Beginner to Expert
2. Panda Surfboards Dolly Dagger
Panda Surfboards Dolly Dagger runs head-high to double-overhead+; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its moderate power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A twin fin with an intermediate skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The Dolly Dagger is a high-performance twin fin that excels in smaller waves while still being capable in overhead surf.
Category: Twin fin · Tail · Catalog ability: Intermediate
3. DHD MF Lightning
DHD MF Lightning runs head-high to double-overhead+; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its moderate power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A performance shortboard with an intermediate to advanced skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The MF Lightning excels in smaller, weaker surf while still performing well in larger, less powerful conditions.
Category: Performance shortboard · Catalog ability: intermediate
4. Proctor SR-71
Proctor SR-71 runs chest-high to double-overhead+; that wave window overlaps 13 of the 14 half-day windows with data this week — most of the run. Its punchy power midpoint is firmer than the week's typical push, so it comes alive on the windows with more push. A performance shortboard with a beginner-friendly to advanced skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The SR-71 offers a responsive and agile ride, perfect for surfers looking to carve on rail.
Category: Performance shortboard · Catalog ability: intermediate · 4.0★ from 1 Quivr rating
5. Lost / Mayhem Sub Scorcher 2 (Single Wing Swallow)
Lost / Mayhem Sub Scorcher 2 (Single Wing Swallow) runs chest-high to double-overhead+; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its moderate power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A performance shortboard with an intermediate to advanced skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The Sub Scorcher 2 is designed for easy paddling and smooth gliding, making it suitable for a variety of conditions.
Category: Performance shortboard · Single wing swallow tail · Catalog ability: intermediate
6. Haydenshapes Hypto Krypto
Haydenshapes Hypto Krypto runs waist-high to double-overhead+; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its moderate power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A hybrid with a beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The Hypto Krypto excels in a variety of conditions, making it ideal for both beginners and advanced surfers.
Category: Hybrid · 5.0★ from 17 Quivr ratings
7. Lost / Mayhem California Twin Pin
Lost / Mayhem California Twin Pin runs head-high to overhead; that wave window overlaps every one of the 14 half-day windows we have data for this week. Its moderate power midpoint sits close to the week's typical push. A twin fin with a beginner-friendly to intermediate skill window.
Quivr catalog read: The California Twin Pin is a versatile board that excels in a variety of wave conditions, making it suitable for surfers of all skill levels.
Category: Twin fin · Rounded pin · Catalog ability: intermediate
Best fit by shape this week
One board per shape, chosen by how many of this week's 14 windows its wave and power windows overlap. Only shapes that overlap at least half the week are listed.
| Shape | Board | Fits | Wave size | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shortboard | DHD MF Lightning | 14 of 14 windows | Head-high → double-overhead+ | Moderate |
| Groveler | Webber Surfboards Fatburner | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → double-overhead+ | Moderate |
| Fish | Lost / Mayhem California Twin Pin | 14 of 14 windows | Head-high → overhead | Moderate |
| Twin fin | Panda Surfboards NOZ V1 | 14 of 14 windows | Head-high → double-overhead+ | Moderate |
| Midlength | Surf Prescriptions Tur-Twin Pin | 14 of 14 windows | Chest-high → overhead | Moderate |
| Longboard | Kazuma Surfboards Kazuma Classic | 14 of 14 windows | Knee-high → double-overhead+ | Moderate |
| Step-up | Roberts GSD | 13 of 14 windows | Head-high → double-overhead+ | Punchy |
What this week asks of a board on the Mendocino & Sonoma coast
Every window with data reads head-high or bigger. A board whose wave window only tops out around head-high will feel short on hold; every pick below runs into overhead territory.
Most windows read "moderate push" for push. A board's power midpoint tells you where it will feel alive: mellower boards on the softer windows, firmer boards when the push is there. The table shows each board's own midpoint so the call is yours.
Already own one of these?
Add it to your quiver in Quivr and the Home tab does this matching for you — every day, against your own boards, for the coast you pick. If none of your boards overlap a window, it says so rather than forcing a pick.
Shopping instead? Open two of the picks above in Compare and read the low end of the wave-size range first — on a head-high week that decides whether a board gets used.
Compare these picks head to head
Live Quivr comparison pages for pairs in this list — same spectra, side by side:
FAQ
How big will the surf be on the Mendocino & Sonoma coast this week?
Across Sep 21–27, 2026 the regional read runs head-high to double-overhead. The most size shows Tue Sep 22 afternoon, overhead to double-overhead (fairly confident); the smallest window is Fri Sep 25 morning, head-high. Confidence is reasonable for the first 4 days and drops to "rough estimate" after that. Sheltered beaches along this stretch run smaller than the read.
Which surfboards fit the Mendocino & Sonoma coast this week?
NOZ V1, Dolly Dagger, MF Lightning overlap the most of this week's 14 surf windows on catalog wave-size and power spectra; the shapes that fit best are twin fin, performance shortboard and hybrid. Open any of them in Quivr to see the full range chart and compare two side by side.
Which day has the most size on the Mendocino & Sonoma coast?
Tue Sep 22 afternoon, overhead to double-overhead (fairly confident). Size builds Tue, Fri and Sun and eases Wed and Sat. Mornings lean toward cross-shore winds (100% of the morning windows with data); afternoons lean toward cross-shore winds (86%).
Does this apply to my exact spot?
No single spot is named or predicted here. The read describes the Mendocino & Sonoma coast as a whole — a stretch of coast facing roughly the same direction. Estimates come from a global ocean wave model sampled offshore and translated into ranges. Actual size varies from beach to beach along this stretch; sheltered spots run smaller. Reads describe the whole coast, not one break — check wind and tide at your spot before paddling out.
How often is this page updated?
Every week, with the same seven-day regional read the Quivr app shows on its Home tab. The app refreshes several times a day and also tells you which board in your own quiver fits each day.