Weather Alerts for California
1. Air Quality Alert for: Coachella Valley; San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning
2. Air Quality Alert for: Santa Clarita Valley; Interstate 5 Corridor; Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor; Eastern San Gabriel Mountains
3. Beach Hazards Statement for: Catalina and Santa Barbara Islands; Malibu Coast; Los Angeles County Beaches
4. Beach Hazards Statement for: San Diego County Coastal Areas; Orange County Coastal
5. Beach Hazards Statement for: San Luis Obispo County Beaches; Santa Barbara County Central Coast Beaches
6. Freeze Watch for: Northeast Siskiyou and Northwest Modoc Counties; Modoc County; Klamath Basin; Northern and Eastern Klamath County and Western Lake County; Central and Eastern Lake County
7. Frost Advisory for: Southern Humboldt Interior; Southern Trinity
8. Heat Advisory for: Santa Barbara County Southeastern Coast; Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range
9. Heat Advisory for: Santa Barbara County Southwestern Coast; Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range
10. High Surf Advisory for: Ventura County Beaches
11. High Wind Warning for: Mojave Desert Slopes
12. High Wind Warning for: Santa Barbara County Southeastern Coast; Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range
13. High Wind Warning for: Santa Barbara County Southwestern Coast; Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range
14. High Wind Warning for: Southern Ventura County Mountains; Northern Ventura County Mountains; Interstate 5 Corridor; Western Antelope Valley Foothills
15. Red Flag Warning for: Lake County Portion of Lake-Napa-Sonoma Unit
16. Red Flag Warning for: Northern Sacramento Valley to Southern Tehama County Line Below 1000 Ft; Central Sacramento Valley including Glenn/Colusa/Yuba/Northern Sutter/Butte County Below 1000 Ft; Southern Sacramento Valley In Yolo/Sacramento/Far Western Placer/Southern Sutter and Solano County Below 1000 Ft - Excludes the Delta; Southeast Edge Shasta/Trinity NF and Western Portions of Tehama/Glenn RU; Northern Sierra Foothills from 1000 to 3000 Ft. Includes Nevada-Yuba-Placer RU and Anador-Eldorado RU; Eastern Mendocino NF
17. Red Flag Warning for: Southern Ventura County Mountains; Northern Ventura County Mountains; Interstate 5 Corridor
18. Wind Advisory for: Lake Casitas; Antelope Valley
19. Wind Advisory for: San Luis Obispo County Beaches; San Luis Obispo County Inland Central Coast; Santa Barbara County Central Coast Beaches; Santa Barbara County Inland Central Coast
20. Wind Advisory for: Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains
21. Wind Advisory for: Santa Clarita Valley
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Current U.S. National Radar--Current
The Current National Weather Radar is shown below with a UTC Time (subtract 5 hours from UTC to get Eastern Time).
![Current National Radar Current U.S. National Radar](https://radar.weather.gov/Conus/Loop/NatLoop_Small.gif)
National Weather Forecast--Current
The Current National Weather Forecast and National Weather Map are shown below.
![Today's National Weather Map Today's National Weather Map](https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/noaa/noaad1.gif)
National Weather Forecast for Tomorrow
Tomorrow National Weather Forecast and Tomorrow National Weather Map are show below.
![Tomorrows National Weather Map Tomorrows National Weather Map](https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/noaa/noaad2.gif)
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.
![Water Vapor Map North American Water Vapor Map](https://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/PCPN/DATA/RT/NA/WV/20.jpg)
Weather Topic: What are Nimbostratus Clouds?
Home - Education - Cloud Types - Nimbostratus Clouds
Next Topic: Precipitation
A nimbostratus cloud is similar to a stratus cloud in its formless,
smooth appearance. However, a nimbostratus cloud is darker than a stratus cloud,
because it is thicker.
Unlike a stratus cloud, a nimbostratus cloud typically brings with it the threat
of moderate to heavy precipitation. In some cases, the precipitation may evaporate
before reaching the ground, a phenomenon known as virga.
Next Topic: Precipitation
Weather Topic: What is Rain?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Rain
Next Topic: Shelf Clouds
Precipitation in the form of water droplets is called rain.
Rain generally has a tendency to fall with less intensity over a greater period
of time, and when rainfall is more severe it is usually less sustained.
Rain is the most common form of precipitation and happens with greater frequency
depending on the season and regional influences. Cities have been shown to have
an observable effect on rainfall, due to an effect called the urban heat island.
Compared to upwind, monthly rainfall between twenty and forty miles downwind of
cities is 30% greater.
Next Topic: Shelf Clouds