La Quinta, CA Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for La Quinta, Riverside County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits La Quinta?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 153 days in the Coachella Valley forecast zone and Riverside County — the most common reported hazard around La Quinta, mostly in August and September. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (103 days) and high winds (92 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash flooding | 153 | Sep 2025 | Mar 5, 2000 · 1 death · $300,000 damage |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 103 | Feb 2026 | Jul 23, 2019 · $8.0 million damage |
| High winds | 92 | May 2025 | Dec 25, 2008 · $500,000 damage |
| Wildfires | 88 | Jun 2024 | Jun 29, 2001 · 1 death |
| Flooding | 83 | Dec 2025 | Mar 8, 2000 · 2 deaths · $60,000 damage |
| Excessive heat | 70 | Aug 2025 | Jun 14, 2021 · 1 death |
| Dust storms | 31 | Sep 2023 | Sep 1, 2023 · 3 deaths |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 29 | Jan 2024 | Jul 30, 2003 · 1 death |
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 Coachella Valley forecast zone and Riverside County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
Which radars cover La Quinta?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KNKX (San Diego, CA), about 67 miles 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 La Quinta | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KNKX San Diego, CA | 67 mi southwest | 5,300 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KSOX Santa Ana Mountains, CA | 79 mi west | 6,800 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KYUX Yuma, AZ | 123 mi southeast | 13,200 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 La Quinta
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 3 tornadoes within 25 miles of La Quinta. Most came in August and September. The strongest was an EF1 on August 6, 2015, which passed about 8 miles east-southeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on August 16, 2018, which touched down about 24 miles west-southwest of town.
Hail: 3 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.50-inch hail on September 5, 1991.
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 La Quinta'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.
La Quinta radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to La Quinta, CA?
KNKX (San Diego, CA), about 67 miles southwest. KSOX (Santa Ana Mountains, CA) is 79 miles away and also covers the area.
How often does La Quinta flood?
Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 153 days in the Coachella Valley forecast zone and Riverside County; the deadliest was on March 5, 2000, 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 La Quinta 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 La Quinta, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Indian Wells, CA radar 5 mi
- Indio, CA radar 6 mi
- Palm Desert, CA radar 8 mi
- Coachella, CA radar 8 mi
- Rancho Mirage, CA radar 12 mi
- Cathedral City, CA radar 17 mi
- Palm Springs, CA radar 19 mi
- Desert Hot Springs, CA radar 26 mi
- Yucca Valley, CA radar 34 mi
- Twentynine Palms, CA radar 37 mi