Weather Alerts for California

Recent Locations: Tahoe City, CA

1. Air Quality Alert for: San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire; Riverside County Mountains; Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills; Coachella Valley; San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning; Orange County Inland

2. High Wind Warning for: Santa Susana Mountains; Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor; Eastern San Gabriel Mountains

3. Wind Advisory for: Catalina and Santa Barbara Islands; Los Angeles County Beaches; Palos Verdes Hills; Los Angeles County Inland Coast including Downtown Los Angeles; Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley

4. Wind Advisory for: Eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area; Interstate 5 Corridor

5. Wind Advisory for: Eastern Sierra Slopes of Inyo County

6. Wind Advisory for: Joshua Tree NP West; Joshua Tree NP East; Chuckwalla Mountains; Chiriaco Summit; Palo Verde Valley; Chuckwalla Valley

7. Wind Advisory for: Owens Valley; White Mountains of Inyo County; Death Valley National Park; Morongo Basin; Lincoln County; Western Clark and Southern Nye County

8. Wind Advisory for: Piute Walker Basin; Tehachapi; Indian Wells Valley; Mojave Desert Slopes; Mojave Desert

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

10. Wind Advisory for: San Diego County Inland Valleys; Riverside County Mountains; San Diego County Mountains; San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning

11. Wind Advisory for: Santa Clarita Valley; Ventura County Beaches; Ventura County Inland Coast; Central Ventura County Valleys; Malibu Coast; Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area; Calabasas and Agoura Hills; Western San Fernando Valley; Eastern San Fernando Valley; Southeastern Ventura County Valleys; Southern Ventura County Mountains; Northern Ventura County Mountains

12. Wind Advisory for: Santa Susana Mountains; Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor; Eastern San Gabriel Mountains

13. Wind Advisory for: Western Antelope Valley Foothills

14. Wind Advisory for: Western Mojave Desert

15. Wind Advisory for: Yosemite NP outside of the valley; Upper San Joaquin River; Kings Canyon NP; Sequoia NP; South End of the Upper Sierra

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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).

National Weather Forecast--Current

The Current National Weather Forecast and National Weather Map are shown below.

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 Contrails?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Contrails

Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds

A contrail is an artificial cloud, created by the passing of an aircraft.

Contrails form because water vapor in the exhaust of aircraft engines is suspended in the air under certain temperatures and humidity conditions. These contrails are called exhaust contrails.

Another type of contrail can form due to a temporary reduction in air pressure moving over the plane's surface, causing condensation. These are called aerodynamic contrails.

When you can see your breath on a cold day, it is also because of condensation. The reason contrails last longer than the condensation from your breath is because the water in contrails freezes into ice particles.

Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds

Weather Topic: What are Cumulus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Cumulus Clouds

Next Topic: Drizzle

Cumulus clouds are fluffy and textured with rounded tops, and may have flat bottoms. The border of a cumulus cloud is clearly defined, and can have the appearance of cotton or cauliflower.

Cumulus clouds form at low altitudes (rarely above 2 km) but can grow very tall, becoming cumulus congestus and possibly the even taller cumulonimbus clouds. When cumulus clouds become taller, they have a greater chance of producing precipitation.

Next Topic: Drizzle