Big Bear City, CA Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Big Bear City, San Bernardino County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Big Bear City?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 340 days in the San Bernardino County Mountains forecast zone and San Bernardino County — the most common reported hazard around Big Bear City, mostly in August and July. Next come high winds (148 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (129 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash flooding | 340 | Feb 2026 | Aug 26, 2003 · 3 deaths · $50,000 damage |
| High winds | 148 | Jan 2026 | Dec 25, 2003 · $500,000 damage |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 129 | Feb 2026 | Jun 3, 2009 · 1 death · $20,000 damage |
| Wildfires | 128 | Jun 2025 | Oct 25, 2003 · 4 deaths · $696 million damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 121 | Jan 2025 | Mar 1, 2023 · 1 death · $500,000 damage |
| Flooding | 106 | Feb 2026 | Dec 19, 2010 · 1 death |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 58 | Sep 2024 | Jun 3, 2009 · 1 death · $1,000 damage |
| Debris flows | 47 | Aug 2025 | Dec 25, 2003 · 14 deaths · $5.0 million damage |
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 San Bernardino County Mountains forecast zone and San Bernardino County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Big Bear City get?
A normal year brings about 59 inches of snow to Big Bear City, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Big Bear Lake weather station 6.9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (14.3 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | 3.4 | 11.0 | 13.4 | 14.3 | 11.7 | 3.0 | 0.6 |
Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.
Which radars cover Big Bear City?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KSOX (Santa Ana Mountains, CA), about 57 miles west-southwest. 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.
| Radar | Distance | Lowest beam over Big Bear City | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KSOX Santa Ana Mountains, CA | 57 mi west-southwest | 4,200 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KEYX Edwards AFB, CA | 73 mi northwest | 6,000 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KNKX San Diego, CA | 93 mi south | 8,700 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
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 Big Bear City
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 7 tornadoes within 25 miles of Big Bear City, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and October. The strongest was an F2 on September 7, 1982, which touched down about 24 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 19, 2015, which touched down about 23 miles east of town.
Hail: 9 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on August 14, 2004.
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 Big Bear City'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.
Big Bear City radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Big Bear City, CA?
KSOX (Santa Ana Mountains, CA), about 57 miles west-southwest. KEYX (Edwards AFB, CA) is 73 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Big Bear City?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Big Bear City the lowest scan from KSOX is about 4,200 ft up.
Is TALON's radar for Big Bear City 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 Big Bear City, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Big Bear Lake, CA radar 6 mi
- Yucaipa, CA radar 21 mi
- Banning, CA radar 22 mi
- Highland, CA radar 23 mi
- Yucca Valley, CA radar 23 mi
- Calimesa, CA radar 24 mi
- Desert Hot Springs, CA radar 25 mi
- Redlands, CA radar 25 mi
- Beaumont, CA radar 28 mi
- San Bernardino, CA radar 30 mi