Rainbow, CA Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Rainbow, San Diego County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for RainbowWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Rainbow?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 148 days in the San Diego County Inland Valleys forecast zone and San Diego County — the most common reported hazard around Rainbow, mostly in August and January. Next come wildfires (115 days) and flooding (114 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flash flooding148Mar 2025Jan 22, 2024 · 2 deaths · $100,000 damage
Wildfires115Jan 2025Oct 25, 2003 · 14 deaths · $1.0 billion damage
Flooding114Jan 2026Dec 16, 2002 · 3 deaths · $60,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds73Feb 2026Mar 22, 2007 · 3 deaths
High winds62Jan 2025Jan 7, 2003 · $28 million damage
Excessive heat62Aug 2025Jun 23, 2024 · 1 death
Lightning casualties & damage38Dec 2023Sep 2, 2001 · 1 death
Debris flows24Aug 2024Apr 9, 2020 · $2.0 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 San Diego County Inland Valleys forecast zone and San Diego County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Rainbow?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KNKX (San Diego, CA), about 34 miles south. 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 RainbowView
KNKX
San Diego, CA		34 mi south2,200 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KSOX
Santa Ana Mountains, CA		40 mi northwest2,700 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KEYX
Edwards AFB, CA		119 mi north-northwest12,600 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 Rainbow

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 17 tornadoes within 25 miles of Rainbow. Most came in February and October. The strongest was an F1 on October 8, 1961, which touched down about 21 miles southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on October 8, 2022, which touched down about 20 miles north of town.

Hail: 7 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.00-inch hail on September 8, 2024.

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 Rainbow'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.

Rainbow radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Rainbow, CA?

KNKX (San Diego, CA), about 34 miles south. KSOX (Santa Ana Mountains, CA) is 40 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Rainbow flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 148 days in the San Diego County Inland Valleys forecast zone and San Diego County; the deadliest was on January 22, 2024, 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 Rainbow 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 Rainbow, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

Radar for nearby towns

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