Big Bend, CA Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Big Bend, Shasta County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for Big Bend What TALON shows

What weather hits Big Bend?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 30 days in the Shasta Lake Area and Interstate 5 Between 1000-3000 ft forecast zone and Shasta County — the most common reported hazard around Big Bend, mostly in December and February. Next come wildfires (9 days) and flash flooding (7 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Flooding	30	Jan 2026	Feb 20, 2017 · $200,000 damage
Wildfires	9	Aug 2000	Oct 16, 1999 · $22 million damage
Flash flooding	7	Dec 2025	Oct 25, 2014 · 2 deaths
Debris flows	2	Feb 2024	Feb 22, 2024 · 2 deaths
Damaging thunderstorm winds	2	May 2019	Jun 9, 2015 · $40,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	2	Jun 2023	Mar 27, 2019 · $10,000 damage
Excessive heat	1	Jun 2026	—

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 Shasta Lake Area and Interstate 5 Between 1000-3000 ft forecast zone and Shasta County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Big Bend get?

A normal year brings about 19 inches of snow to Big Bend, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Pit Rvr Ph 5 weather station 3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (6.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.8	6.7	4.3	5.5	1.3	0.2	0.0

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 Bend?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMAX (Medford, OR), about 84 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Big Bend	View
KMAX Medford, OR	84 mi north-northwest	7,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KBBX Beale AFB, CA	106 mi south	10,500 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBHX Eureka, CA	129 mi west-southwest	14,200 ft	Limited — 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 Big Bend

NOAA has no tornado on record within 25 miles of Big Bend since 1950.

Hail: 2 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on August 11, 2014.

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 Bend'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 Bend radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Big Bend, CA?

KMAX (Medford, OR), about 84 miles north-northwest. KBBX (Beale AFB, CA) is 106 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Big Bend flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 30 days in the Shasta Lake Area and Interstate 5 Between 1000-3000 ft forecast zone and Shasta County. 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 Big Bend 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 Bend, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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