Desert Shores, CA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Desert ShoresWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Desert Shores?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 48 days in the Salton Sea forecast zone and Imperial County — the most common reported hazard around Desert Shores, mostly in August and September. Next come flash flooding (46 days) and excessive heat (35 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds48Sep 2025Sep 15, 2007 · $4.0 million damage
Flash flooding46Sep 2025Aug 31, 2021 · 2 deaths · $5,000 damage
Excessive heat35Jun 2024—
Flooding8Jan 2024Jan 22, 2024 · $4.0 million damage
Dust storms1Oct 2022—
Lightning casualties & damage1Oct 2005—

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 Salton Sea forecast zone and Imperial County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Desert Shores?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KNKX (San Diego, CA), about 67 miles west-southwest. 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 Desert ShoresView
KNKX
San Diego, CA		67 mi west-southwest5,300 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KSOX
Santa Ana Mountains, CA		96 mi west-northwest9,100 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KYUX
Yuma, AZ		102 mi southeast9,900 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Desert Shores

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 4 tornadoes within 25 miles of Desert Shores, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in February and September. The strongest was an F3 on February 9, 1978, which touched down about 24 miles northeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on August 6, 2015, which passed about 12 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 3 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.00-inch hail on October 13, 2018.

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 Desert Shores'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.

Desert Shores radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Desert Shores, CA?

KNKX (San Diego, CA), about 67 miles west-southwest. KSOX (Santa Ana Mountains, CA) is 96 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Desert Shores?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Desert Shores the lowest scan from KNKX is about 5,300 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

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