Salton Sea Beach, CA Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Salton Sea Beach, Imperial County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for Salton Sea BeachWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Salton Sea Beach?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 48 days in the Salton Sea forecast zone and Imperial County — the most common reported hazard around Salton Sea Beach, mostly in August and September. Next come flash flooding (46 days) and excessive heat (35 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds48Sep 2025Sep 15, 2007 · $4.0 million damage
Flash flooding46Sep 2025Aug 31, 2021 · 2 deaths · $5,000 damage
Excessive heat35Jun 2024—
Flooding8Jan 2024Jan 22, 2024 · $4.0 million damage
Dust storms1Oct 2022—
Lightning casualties & damage1Oct 2005—

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 Salton Sea forecast zone and Imperial County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Salton Sea Beach?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KNKX (San Diego, CA), about 67 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 Salton Sea BeachView
KNKX
San Diego, CA		67 mi west-southwest5,400 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KSOX
Santa Ana Mountains, CA		98 mi west-northwest9,400 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KYUX
Yuma, AZ		99 mi southeast9,500 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 Salton Sea Beach

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 4 tornadoes within 25 miles of Salton Sea Beach, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in February and September. The strongest was an F3 on February 9, 1978, which touched down about 24 miles north-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on August 6, 2015, which passed about 14 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 2 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.00-inch hail on September 11, 2004.

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 Salton Sea Beach'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.

Salton Sea Beach radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Salton Sea Beach, CA?

KNKX (San Diego, CA), about 67 miles west-southwest. KSOX (Santa Ana Mountains, CA) is 98 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Salton Sea Beach?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Salton Sea Beach the lowest scan from KNKX is about 5,400 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

Is TALON's radar for Salton Sea Beach 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 Salton Sea Beach, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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