Isla Vista, CA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Isla VistaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Isla Vista?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 39 days in the Santa Barbara County Southeastern Coast forecast zone and Santa Barbara County — the most common reported hazard around Isla Vista, mostly in February and January. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (15 days) and flooding (10 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flash flooding39Jan 2026Mar 22, 2005 · 2 deaths
Damaging thunderstorm winds15Feb 2026Mar 31, 2024 · $5,000 damage
Flooding10Nov 2001—
Wildfires5Jun 2002Sep 13, 2000 · $662,000 damage
Debris flows5Feb 2026Jan 9, 2018 · 21 deaths · $617 million 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 Santa Barbara County Southeastern Coast forecast zone and Santa Barbara County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Isla Vista?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KVTX (Los Angeles, CA), about 39 miles east. 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 Isla VistaView
KVTX
Los Angeles, CA		39 mi east2,500 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KVBX
Vandenberg AFB, CA		42 mi northwest2,900 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KHNX
San Joaquin Valley, CA		132 mi north14,800 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 Isla Vista

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 4 tornadoes within 25 miles of Isla Vista. Most came in January and March. The strongest was an F1 on January 3, 1977, which touched down about 3 miles east-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on March 21, 2023, which touched down about 18 miles east of town.

Hail: 1 report of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on January 20, 1982.

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 Isla Vista'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.

Isla Vista radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Isla Vista, CA?

KVTX (Los Angeles, CA), about 39 miles east. KVBX (Vandenberg AFB, CA) is 42 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Isla Vista flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 39 days in the Santa Barbara County Southeastern Coast forecast zone and Santa Barbara County; the deadliest was on March 22, 2005, with 2 deaths. 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 Isla Vista 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 Isla Vista, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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