Weather Alerts for California

Recent Locations: Griswold, IA Alsip, IL Coloma, CA

3. Flood Watch for: Death Valley National Park; Western Mojave Desert; Eastern Mojave Desert, Including the Mojave National Preserve; Morongo Basin; Cadiz Basin

4. Flood Watch for: Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge; Kings Canyon NP; Grant Grove Area; Sequoia NP; South End of the Upper Sierra; Kern River Valley; Piute Walker Basin; Tehachapi; Indian Wells Valley; Mojave Desert Slopes; Mojave Desert

5. Flood Watch for: Mono; Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties

6. Flood Watch for: Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor; Eastern San Gabriel Mountains; Western Antelope Valley Foothills; Eastern Antelope Valley Foothills; Antelope Valley

7. Heat Advisory for: Cuyama Valley; San Luis Obispo County Interior Valleys; San Luis Obispo County Mountains; Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains

8. Heat Advisory for: San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire; San Diego County Inland Valleys; Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills; Orange County Inland

9. Heat Advisory for: Santa Clarita Valley; Lake Casitas; Ojai Valley; Central Ventura County Valleys; Los Angeles County Inland Coast including Downtown Los Angeles; Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area; Eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area; Calabasas and Agoura Hills; Western San Fernando Valley; Eastern San Fernando Valley; Southeastern Ventura County Valleys; Santa Susana Mountains; Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley

10. Heat Advisory for: Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range

11. Heat Advisory for: Southern Ventura County Mountains; Northern Ventura County Mountains; Interstate 5 Corridor; Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor

12. Heat Advisory for: Ventura County Inland Coast

13. Red Flag Warning for: Lower Middle Klamath; Trinity

14. Red Flag Warning for: Modoc County Except for the Surprise Valley; Umpqua National Forest; Southern Oregon Cascades; Klamath Basin and the Fremont-Winema National Forest; South Central Oregon Desert including the BLM Land in Eastern Lake and Western Harney Counties

15. Red Flag Warning for: Siskiyou County from the Cascade Mountains East and South to Mt Shasta

16. Red Flag Warning for: Surprise Valley California; Eastern Lassen County; Northern Washoe County

17. Red Flag Warning for: Western Klamath National Forest; Central Siskiyou County Including Shasta Valley; Siskiyou Mountains

18. Special Weather Statement for: Fresno-Tulare Lower Sierra; Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge

19. Special Weather Statement for: Fresno-Tulare Lower Sierra; Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge; Kings Canyon NP; Grant Grove Area

20. Special Weather Statement for: Greater Lake Tahoe Area; Greater Lake Tahoe Area

21. Special Weather Statement for: Upper San Joaquin River; Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge; Kings Canyon NP

22. Special Weather Statement for: West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

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Current U.S. National Radar--Current

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National Weather Forecast--Current

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National Weather Forecast for Tomorrow

Tomorrow National Weather Forecast and Tomorrow National Weather Map are show below.

North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

This map shows recent moisture content over North America. Bright and colored areas show high moisture (ie, clouds); brown indicates very little moisture present; black indicates no moisture.

Weather Topic: What is Snow?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Snow

Snow Next Topic: Stratocumulus Clouds

Snow is precipitation taking the form of ice crystals. Each ice crystal, or snowflake, has unique characteristics, but all of them grow in a hexagonal structure. Snowfall can last for sustained periods of time and result in significant buildup of snow on the ground.

On the earth's surface, snow starts out light and powdery, but as it begins to melt it tends to become more granular, producing small bits of ice which have the consistency of sand. After several cycles of melting and freezing, snow can become very dense and ice-like, commonly known as snow pack.

Next Topic: Stratocumulus Clouds

Weather Topic: What are Stratus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Stratus Clouds

Next Topic: Wall Clouds

Stratus clouds are similar to altostratus clouds, but form at a lower altitude and are identified by their fog-like appearance, lacking the distinguishing features of most clouds.

Stratus clouds are wider than most clouds, and their base has a smooth, uniform look which is lighter in color than a nimbostratus cloud. The presence of a stratus cloud indicates the possibility of minor precipitation, such as drizzle, but heavier precipitation does not typically arrive in the form of a stratus cloud.

Next Topic: Wall Clouds