Lake Nacimiento, CA Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Lake Nacimiento, San Luis Obispo County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Lake Nacimiento?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 11 days in the Santa Lucia Mountains forecast zone and San Luis Obispo County — the most common reported hazard around Lake Nacimiento, mostly in January and May. Next come high winds (10 days) and flooding (10 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash flooding | 11 | Oct 2025 | Jan 9, 2023 · 1 death |
| High winds | 10 | Feb 2025 | — |
| Flooding | 10 | Jan 2023 | — |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 9 | Feb 2026 | Sep 24, 2025 · $2,000 damage |
| Wildfires | 2 | Aug 2025 | Aug 17, 2002 · $290,000 damage |
| Debris flows | 1 | Feb 2024 | — |
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 Lucia Mountains forecast zone and San Luis Obispo County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
Which radars cover Lake Nacimiento?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KVBX (Vandenberg AFB, CA), about 67 miles south-southeast. 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 Lake Nacimiento | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KVBX Vandenberg AFB, CA | 67 mi south-southeast | 5,300 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KHNX San Joaquin Valley, CA | 80 mi east-northeast | 6,900 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KMUX San Francisco, CA | 114 mi north-northwest | 11,700 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 Lake Nacimiento
NOAA has no tornado on record within 25 miles of Lake Nacimiento since 1950.
Hail: 1 report of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.00-inch hail on March 22, 2017.
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 Lake Nacimiento'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.
Lake Nacimiento radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Lake Nacimiento, CA?
KVBX (Vandenberg AFB, CA), about 67 miles south-southeast. KHNX (San Joaquin Valley, CA) is 80 miles away and also covers the area.
How often does Lake Nacimiento flood?
Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 11 days in the Santa Lucia Mountains forecast zone and San Luis Obispo County; the deadliest was on January 9, 2023, 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 Lake Nacimiento 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 Lake Nacimiento, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA radar 14 mi
- Atascadero, CA radar 20 mi
- Morro Bay, CA radar 25 mi
- San Luis Obispo, CA radar 34 mi
- King City, CA radar 37 mi
- Coalinga, CA radar 41 mi
- Pismo Beach, CA radar 41 mi
- Grover Beach, CA radar 44 mi
- Arroyo Grande, CA radar 45 mi
- Greenfield, CA radar 46 mi