Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, CA Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, Santa Cruz County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for Aptos Hills-Larkin ValleyWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 38 days in the Northern Monterey Bay forecast zone and Santa Cruz County — the most common reported hazard around Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, mostly in January and December. Next come debris flows (34 days) and flash flooding (20 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flooding38Jan 2026Feb 15, 2009 · 1 death · $15,000 damage
Debris flows34Feb 2025Apr 30, 2011 · $250,000 damage
Flash flooding20Feb 2017Feb 2, 1998 · 1 death · $500,000 damage
High winds9Mar 2023Dec 1, 2011 · $275,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds5Dec 2025Mar 2, 2024 · $10 damage
Coastal flooding4Jan 2026Dec 23, 2024 · $10 damage
Excessive heat2Mar 2026—
Extreme cold & wind chill1Jan 2013Jan 16, 2013 · 1 death

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996–2026 (the latest year is partial). A "day" is a date with at least one report in the Northern Monterey Bay forecast zone and Santa Cruz County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 14 miles north-northwest. Radar beams climb as they travel, so the height of the lowest scan over town decides how low in a storm the radar can see.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over Aptos Hills-Larkin ValleyView
KMUX
San Francisco, CA		14 mi north-northwest700 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KDAX
Sacramento, CA		107 mi north10,600 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KHNX
San Joaquin Valley, CA		130 mi east-southeast14,500 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms

Beam height is the center of the 0.5° scan above the radar, with standard refraction. Mountains near a radar can block it further.

Tornado & hail history near Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 12 tornadoes within 25 miles of Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley. Most came in December and April. The strongest was an EF1 on December 14, 2024, which touched down about 12 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 4 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on April 1, 1965.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center — tornadoes 1950–2025, hail 1955–2025. Distances are to each tornado's track; ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita scale.

On TALON you get Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley's live radar loop, rain/snow/ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks with arrival times and NWS warnings free; close-up radar and rotation detection are part of TALON Pro.

Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, CA?

KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 14 miles north-northwest. KDAX (Sacramento, CA) is 107 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 38 days in the Northern Monterey Bay forecast zone and Santa Cruz County; the deadliest was on February 15, 2009, with 1 death. TALON's free flash-flood risk layer shows, every 2 minutes, how close the rain that has fallen is to what it takes to flood — turn it on under Layers.

Is TALON's radar for Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley free?

Yes — the US radar loop, rain/snow/ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and NWS warnings are free in any browser. Close-up radar, rotation detection and longer forecasts are part of TALON Pro.

Should I rely on radar for my safety?

No app replaces official warnings. When the National Weather Service issues a warning for Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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