National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Heavy Rainfall in Southern California and in the Southern Plains; Heavy Snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Rockies

A Pacific storm will bring coastal/lower elevation heavy to excessive rainfall to southern California and the Southern Rockies today, with localized flash flooding possible, especially near recent burn scars. Heavy snow is forecast over parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains today and over the Northern Rockies on Wednesday. Several inches of snowfall accumulation is possible. Read More >

Link to Pan and Zoom RADAR Imagery

Latest RADAR imagery (KMAX--Mt Ashland)

 

KBHX--Eureka, CA

 

KBBX -- Beale AFB, CA

 

KRTX--Portland, OR

 

 

Click to enlarge national RADAR image

 

RADAR Loop

Pan/Zoom RADAR

  • Slower loading but features more detail and capabilities.
Helpful hints when viewing this "lite" RADAR imagery

 

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Other "lite images" click here.

Ground Clutter:

Image is what it can look like when there is no precipitation but significant ground clutter.  The grey and green areas won't move much. 

 

Actual Precipitation:

Image below shows precipitation in the area.  Green areas change/move like you'd expect with areas of rain/snow. 

 

Geocolor Loop

Geocolor

Infrared with Lightning

  • Good indicator for height of clouds
  • Colder/higher cloud tops are blue
  • Can use daytime or nighttime
  • Lightning "flashes" indicate include in-cloud, cloud to cloud, or cloud to ground flashes.

Fire Temperature

  • Good indicator for wildfire location and movement
  • Brighter reds indicate hotter fires
Day Cloud Phase Distinction

Day Cloud Phase Distinction

  • Helps determine if clouds include ice or not
  • Clouds transitioning from white shades to green and yellow shades indicate stronger showers
Water Vapor Imagery

Water Vapor Imagery

  • Used for tracking winds and moisture in the middle troposphere, as low as around 18,000 feet, or 500mb. Surface features are usually not apparent in this band.