California, KY Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for CaliforniaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits California?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 87 days in the Campbell forecast zone and Campbell County — the most common reported hazard around California, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (47 days) and flash flooding (35 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds87Dec 2025Aug 28, 2024 · $50,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms47Jan 2026Jan 6, 1996 · $300,000 damage
Flash flooding35Feb 2025May 19, 2020 · $50,000 damage
Flooding30Apr 2024Apr 2, 2024 · 1 death · $20,000 damage
Excessive heat8Aug 2023—
High winds8Sep 2024Sep 14, 2008 · $10 million damage
Ice storms & sleet7Nov 2018—
Extreme cold & wind chill2Dec 2022Feb 1, 1996 · $20,000 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 Campbell forecast zone and Campbell County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover California?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KILN (Wilmington, OH), about 42 miles 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 CaliforniaView
KILN
Wilmington, OH		42 mi northeast2,800 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KJKL
Jackson, KY		105 mi south-southeast10,400 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLVX
Louisville, KY		112 mi southwest11,400 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 California

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 86 tornadoes within 25 miles of California, 17 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and July. The strongest was an F4 on April 23, 1968, which passed about 16 miles south of town and caused 6 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on September 22, 2025, which passed about 19 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 250 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 14 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on April 8, 1998.

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 California'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.

California radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to California, KY?

KILN (Wilmington, OH), about 42 miles northeast. KJKL (Jackson, KY) is 105 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in California?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over California the lowest scan from KILN is about 2,800 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Kentucky towns →