Calpine, CA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Calpine What TALON shows

What weather hits Calpine?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 193 days in the Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties forecast zone and Sierra County — the most common reported hazard around Calpine, mostly in December and January. Next come high winds (92 days) and flooding (4 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	193	Feb 2026	Jan 22, 1997 · $200,000 damage
High winds	92	Apr 2026	Dec 14, 2002 · $220,000 damage
Flooding	4	Mar 2023	Feb 9, 2017 · $6.8 million damage
Debris flows	4	Oct 2021	Jan 11, 2017 · $1.6 million damage
Wildfires	3	Sep 2019	Jun 23, 2007 · $75,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	2	Dec 2013	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	1	Jan 1997	—
Damaging thunderstorm winds	1	Jul 2003	—

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 Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties forecast zone and Sierra County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Calpine get?

A normal year brings about 38 inches of snow to Calpine, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Portola weather station 10 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (11.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.4	2.4	7.2	11.7	7.6	6.4	1.8	0.2

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Calpine?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRGX (Reno, NV), about 52 miles east. 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 Calpine	View
KRGX Reno, NV	52 mi east	3,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KBBX Beale AFB, CA	65 mi west	5,100 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDAX Sacramento, CA	104 mi southwest	10,200 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 Calpine

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 3 tornadoes within 25 miles of Calpine. Most came in August. The strongest was an EF1 on August 15, 2020, which touched down about 17 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 16 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on July 22, 2003.

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 Calpine'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.

Calpine radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Calpine, CA?

KRGX (Reno, NV), about 52 miles east. KBBX (Beale AFB, CA) is 65 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Calpine?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Calpine the lowest scan from KRGX is about 3,800 ft up.

Is TALON's radar for Calpine 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 Calpine, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

Radar for nearby towns

All California towns →