Zayante, CA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for ZayanteWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Zayante?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged high winds on 38 days in the Santa Cruz Mountains forecast zone and Santa Cruz County — the most common reported hazard around Zayante, mostly in February and January. Next come flooding (38 days) and debris flows (36 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
High winds38May 2026Feb 27, 2006 · 1 death
Flooding38Jan 2026Feb 15, 2009 · 1 death · $15,000 damage
Debris flows36Feb 2025Apr 4, 2006 · $13 million damage
Flash flooding20Feb 2017Feb 2, 1998 · 1 death · $500,000 damage
Wildfires5Jan 2021Aug 16, 2020 · 1 death
Damaging thunderstorm winds5Dec 2025Mar 2, 2024 · $10 damage
Excessive heat3Mar 2026—
Heavy snow & winter storms3Feb 2023Feb 24, 2023 · $10 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 Santa Cruz Mountains forecast zone and Santa Cruz County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Zayante?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 9 miles east-northeast. 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 ZayanteView
KMUX
San Francisco, CA		9 mi east-northeast500 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KDAX
Sacramento, CA		100 mi north-northeast9,500 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KHNX
San Joaquin Valley, CA		144 mi east-southeast17,000 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 Zayante

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 13 tornadoes within 25 miles of Zayante, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in December and January. The strongest was an F2 on May 5, 1998, which touched down about 19 miles north of town. The most recent was an EF1 on December 14, 2024, which touched down about 3 miles south of town.

Hail: 3 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on April 1, 1965.

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 Zayante'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.

Zayante radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Zayante, CA?

KMUX (San Francisco, CA), about 9 miles east-northeast. KDAX (Sacramento, CA) is 100 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Zayante?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Zayante the lowest scan from KMUX is about 500 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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