Weather Alerts for California

Recent Locations: Grantsville, MD Wyandotte, MI Rio Vista, CA

1. Beach Hazards Statement for: Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore; Northern Monterey Bay

2. Beach Hazards Statement for: Ventura County Beaches; Malibu Coast; Los Angeles County Beaches

3. Extreme Heat Warning for: Coachella Valley; San Diego County Deserts

4. Extreme Heat Warning for: Indian Wells Valley; Mojave Desert Slopes; Mojave Desert

5. Extreme Heat Warning for: San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning

6. Extreme Heat Warning for: Western Antelope Valley Foothills; Eastern Antelope Valley Foothills; Antelope Valley

7. Extreme Heat Warning for: Western Siskiyou County; Central Siskiyou County

8. Heat Advisory for: Cuyama Valley; Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range; Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains; Southern Ventura County Mountains; Northern Ventura County Mountains; Interstate 5 Corridor; Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor; Eastern San Gabriel Mountains

9. Heat Advisory for: North Central and Southeast Siskiyou County; Northeast Siskiyou and Northwest Modoc Counties; Modoc County; Klamath Basin

10. Heat Advisory for: Riverside County Mountains; San Diego County Mountains

11. Heat Advisory for: San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire

12. Heat Advisory for: San Bernardino County Mountains

13. Heat Advisory for: Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range

14. Heat Advisory for: South Central Siskiyou County

15. Heat Advisory for: Surprise Valley California; Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties; Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties; Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area; Western Nevada Basin and Range including Pyramid Lake; Northern Washoe County

16. Heat Advisory for: West Side Mountains north of 198; Los Banos - Dos Palos; Merced - Madera - Mendota; Planada - Le Grand - Snelling; Coalinga - Avenal; West Side of Fresno and Kings Counties; Caruthers - San Joaquin - Selma; Fresno-Clovis; West Side Mountains South of 198; Buttonwillow - Lost Hills - I5; Delano-Wasco-Shafter; Hanford - Corcoran - Lemoore; Visalia - Porterville - Reedley; Buena Vista; Bakersfield; Southeast San Joaquin Valley; South End San Joaquin Valley; Mariposa Madera Foothills; Fresno-Tulare Foothills; South End Sierra Foothills

17. Wind Advisory for: Santa Barbara County Southwestern Coast

18. Wind Advisory for: Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range

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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 are Shelf Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Shelf Clouds

Shelf Clouds Next Topic: Sleet

A shelf cloud is similar to a wall cloud, but forms at the front of a storm cloud, instead of at the rear, where wall clouds form.

A shelf cloud is caused by a series of events set into motion by the advancing storm; first, cool air settles along the ground where precipitation has just fallen. As the cool air is brought in, the warmer air is displaced, and rises above it, because it is less dense. When the warmer air reaches the bottom of the storm cloud, it begins to cool again, and the resulting condensation is a visible shelf cloud.

Next Topic: Sleet

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