Cottonwood, CA Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Cottonwood, Shasta County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Cottonwood?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 30 days in the South-Central Shasta County Including Redding Metro forecast zone and Shasta County — the most common reported hazard around Cottonwood, 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 South-Central Shasta County Including Redding Metro forecast zone and Shasta County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Cottonwood get?
A normal year brings about 2.6 inches of snow to Cottonwood, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Redding Muni Ap weather station 8.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (1.1 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 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 Cottonwood?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBBX (Beale AFB, CA), about 72 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.
| Radar | Distance | Lowest beam over Cottonwood | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KBBX Beale AFB, CA | 72 mi south-southeast | 5,900 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KBHX Eureka, CA | 104 mi west | 10,200 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KMAX Medford, OR | 119 mi north | 12,500 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 Cottonwood
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 5 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cottonwood, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in March and May. The strongest was an F2 on May 9, 1980, which touched down about 19 miles south-southeast of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on January 3, 2025, which touched down about 12 miles east-southeast of town.
Hail: 17 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 4 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on May 24, 2019.
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 Cottonwood'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.
Cottonwood radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Cottonwood, CA?
KBBX (Beale AFB, CA), about 72 miles south-southeast. KBHX (Eureka, CA) is 104 miles away and also covers the area.
How often does Cottonwood flood?
Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 30 days in the South-Central Shasta County Including Redding Metro 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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Anderson, CA radar 4 mi
- Redding, CA radar 13 mi
- Red Bluff, CA radar 15 mi
- Shasta Lake, CA radar 20 mi
- Corning, CA radar 33 mi
- Orland, CA radar 45 mi
- Chico, CA radar 51 mi
- Paradise, CA radar 58 mi
- Dunsmuir, CA radar 58 mi
- Willows, CA radar 61 mi