Empire, CA Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Empire, Stanislaus County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Empire?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 15 days in the Central Stanislaus County Including Modesto Metro forecast zone and Stanislaus County — the most common reported hazard around Empire, mostly in December and January. Next come lightning casualties & damage (3 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (3 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flooding | 15 | Apr 2026 | Jan 1, 2006 · 1 death · $100,000 damage |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 3 | May 2018 | Mar 21, 2017 · $200,000 damage |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 3 | Mar 2025 | Dec 24, 2015 · $150,000 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 Central Stanislaus County Including Modesto Metro forecast zone and Stanislaus County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
Which radars cover Empire?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 64 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.
| Radar | Distance | Lowest beam over Empire | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KMUX San Francisco, CA | 64 mi west-southwest | 5,000 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KDAX Sacramento, CA | 73 mi northwest | 6,000 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KHNX San Joaquin Valley, CA | 116 mi southeast | 12,000 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 Empire
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 18 tornadoes within 25 miles of Empire, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an F2 on April 27, 1953, which touched down about 5 miles west of town. The most recent was an EF0 on April 1, 2025, which touched down about 8 miles 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 May 7, 2015.
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 Empire'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.
Empire radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Empire, CA?
KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 64 miles west-southwest. KDAX (Sacramento, CA) is 73 miles away and also covers the area.
How often does Empire flood?
Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 15 days in the Central Stanislaus County Including Modesto Metro forecast zone and Stanislaus County; the deadliest was on January 1, 2006, 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 Empire 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 Empire, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Hughson, CA radar 4 mi
- Ceres, CA radar 5 mi
- Modesto, CA radar 5 mi
- Riverbank, CA radar 6 mi
- Waterford, CA radar 8 mi
- Oakdale, CA radar 9 mi
- Turlock, CA radar 10 mi
- Escalon, CA radar 11 mi
- Ripon, CA radar 14 mi
- Patterson, CA radar 18 mi