Bowles, CA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for BowlesWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Bowles?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 112 days in the Caruthers - San Joaquin - Selma forecast zone and Fresno County — the most common reported hazard around Bowles, mostly in January and December. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (32 days) and lightning casualties & damage (30 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flooding112Dec 2025May 1, 2023 · 2 deaths
Damaging thunderstorm winds32Feb 2024Mar 17, 2012 · $1.0 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage30Jun 2024Jul 30, 2021 · 1 death
Excessive heat23Aug 2025—
Flash flooding23Mar 2023Jul 21, 2006 · $50,000 damage
Debris flows18Feb 2025Jan 28, 2021 · $200 damage
Wildfires13Jul 2004Aug 19, 2001 · $6.1 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 Caruthers - San Joaquin - Selma forecast zone and Fresno County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Bowles?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KHNX (San Joaquin Valley, CA), about 21 miles south-southeast. 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 BowlesView
KHNX
San Joaquin Valley, CA		21 mi south-southeast1,200 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMUX
San Francisco, CA		124 mi west-northwest13,500 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KVBX
Vandenberg AFB, CA		128 mi south-southwest14,000 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 Bowles

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 35 tornadoes within 25 miles of Bowles, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in March and February. The strongest was an F2 on April 5, 1980, which passed about 17 miles south of town. The most recent was an EF1 on January 17, 2019, which touched down about 19 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 30 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 1 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.50-inch hail on November 22, 1996.

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 Bowles'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.

Bowles radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Bowles, CA?

KHNX (San Joaquin Valley, CA), about 21 miles south-southeast. KMUX (San Francisco, CA) is 124 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Bowles flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 112 days in the Caruthers - San Joaquin - Selma forecast zone and Fresno County; the deadliest was on May 1, 2023, with 2 deaths. 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 Bowles 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 Bowles, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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