Capitola, CA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for CapitolaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Capitola?

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 Capitola, 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 Capitola?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 13 miles north-northeast. 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 CapitolaView
KMUX
San Francisco, CA		13 mi north-northeast700 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KDAX
Sacramento, CA		106 mi north10,600 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KHNX
San Joaquin Valley, CA		137 mi east-southeast15,600 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 Capitola

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 12 tornadoes within 25 miles of Capitola. Most came in December and April. The strongest was an EF1 on December 14, 2024, which touched down about 6 miles 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 Capitola'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.

Capitola radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Capitola, CA?

KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 13 miles north-northeast. KDAX (Sacramento, CA) is 106 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Capitola 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 Capitola 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 Capitola, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

Radar for nearby towns

All California towns →