Washington, CA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Washington What TALON shows

What weather hits Washington?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 20 days in the Northern Motherlode Between 1000-3000 ft forecast zone and Nevada County — the most common reported hazard around Washington, mostly in December and February. Next come debris flows (7 days) and flash flooding (4 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Flooding	20	Apr 2026	Feb 8, 2017 · $3.6 million damage
Debris flows	7	Jun 2023	Jan 10, 2017 · $1.1 million damage
Flash flooding	4	Aug 2025	—
Lightning casualties & damage	3	Jul 2012	Jul 23, 2012 · 1 death
Damaging thunderstorm winds	2	Feb 2023	Feb 21, 2023 · $10,000 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 Northern Motherlode Between 1000-3000 ft forecast zone and Nevada County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Washington get?

A normal year brings about 15 inches of snow to Washington, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Nevada City weather station 13.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (4.6 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.8	2.7	2.3	4.6	3.2	0.9	0.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Washington?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBBX (Beale AFB, CA), about 46 miles west-northwest. 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 Washington	View
KBBX Beale AFB, CA	46 mi west-northwest	3,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KRGX Reno, NV	76 mi east-northeast	6,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDAX Sacramento, CA	76 mi southwest	6,400 ft	Fair — 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 Washington

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 1 tornado within 25 miles of Washington. The strongest was an EF1 on October 22, 2012, which passed about 23 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 4 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.00-inch hail on February 19, 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 Washington'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.

Washington radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Washington, CA?

KBBX (Beale AFB, CA), about 46 miles west-northwest. KRGX (Reno, NV) is 76 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Washington flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 20 days in the Northern Motherlode Between 1000-3000 ft forecast zone and Nevada County. 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 Washington 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 Washington, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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