Hilmar-Irwin, CA Live Doppler Radar

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

What weather hits Hilmar-Irwin?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 56 days in the Merced - Madera - Mendota forecast zone and Merced County — the most common reported hazard around Hilmar-Irwin, mostly in January and March. Next come excessive heat (23 days) and lightning casualties & damage (8 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flooding56Mar 2025Jan 9, 2023 · $10 million damage
Excessive heat23Mar 2026—
Lightning casualties & damage8May 2016May 5, 2016 · $1.0 million damage
Flash flooding5Feb 2025Mar 25, 1998 · $11 million damage
Wildfires4Jun 2003Jun 2, 2003 · $15,000 damage
Debris flows4Feb 2024—
High winds3Feb 2024Feb 4, 2024 · $1,000 damage
Dust storms2Nov 2024Nov 11, 2024 · $400,000 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 Merced - Madera - Mendota forecast zone and Merced County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Hilmar-Irwin?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 60 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 Hilmar-IrwinView
KMUX
San Francisco, CA
60 mi west-southwest4,600 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDAX
Sacramento, CA
88 mi north-northwest8,000 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KHNX
San Joaquin Valley, CA
101 mi southeast9,800 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 Hilmar-Irwin

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 23 tornadoes within 25 miles of Hilmar-Irwin, 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 19 miles north-northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on April 1, 2025, which touched down about 23 miles north-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 12, 2012.

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 Hilmar-Irwin'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.

Hilmar-Irwin radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Hilmar-Irwin, CA?

KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 60 miles west-southwest. KDAX (Sacramento, CA) is 88 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Hilmar-Irwin flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 56 days in the Merced - Madera - Mendota forecast zone and Merced 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 Hilmar-Irwin 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 Hilmar-Irwin, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

Radar for nearby towns

All California towns →