Weather Alerts for California

Recent Locations: Lake Jackson, TX Mendocino, CA Constantine, MI

Current Alerts for Mendocino, CA: Frost Advisory

1. Air Quality Alert for: Imperial County Southwest; Chuckwalla Mountains; Imperial County Southeast; Imperial County West; Imperial Valley; Palo Verde Valley

2. Air Quality Alert for: San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire; Riverside County Mountains; Coachella Valley; San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning

3. Frost Advisory for: Northwestern Mendocino Interior; Northeastern Mendocino Interior; Northern Lake County

4. High Wind Warning for: Malibu Coast; Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area; Eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area

5. High Wind Warning for: Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains; Southern Ventura County Mountains; Northern Ventura County Mountains; Interstate 5 Corridor

6. High Wind Warning for: Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor; Eastern San Gabriel Mountains

7. Wind Advisory for: Apple and Lucerne Valleys; San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning

8. Wind Advisory for: Catalina and Santa Barbara Islands; Los Angeles County Beaches; Palos Verdes Hills

9. Wind Advisory for: Coachella Valley

10. Wind Advisory for: Eastern Sierra Slopes of Inyo County

11. Wind Advisory for: Joshua Tree NP West; Joshua Tree NP East; Chuckwalla Mountains; Chiriaco Summit; Palo Verde Valley; Chuckwalla Valley

12. Wind Advisory for: Owens Valley; White Mountains of Inyo County; Death Valley National Park; Morongo Basin; Lincoln County; Western Clark and Southern Nye County

13. Wind Advisory for: Piute Walker Basin; Tehachapi; Mojave Desert Slopes

14. Wind Advisory for: San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire; Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills; Orange County Inland

15. Wind Advisory for: San Bernardino County Mountains

16. Wind Advisory for: Santa Barbara County Central Coast Beaches; Santa Barbara County Inland Central Coast

17. Wind Advisory for: Santa Barbara County Southeastern Coast; Lake Casitas; Ojai Valley

18. Wind Advisory for: Santa Clarita Valley; Calabasas and Agoura Hills; Western San Fernando Valley; Eastern San Fernando Valley; Southeastern Ventura County Valleys; Santa Susana Mountains

19. Wind Advisory for: Western Antelope Valley Foothills; Eastern Antelope Valley Foothills; Antelope Valley

20. Wind Advisory for: Western Mojave Desert

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Current U.S. National Radar--Current

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National Weather Forecast--Current

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National Weather Forecast for Tomorrow

Tomorrow National Weather Forecast and Tomorrow National Weather Map are show below.

North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

This map shows recent moisture content over North America. Bright and colored areas show high moisture (ie, clouds); brown indicates very little moisture present; black indicates no moisture.

Weather Topic: What is Sleet?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet

Sleet Next Topic: Snow

Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones, and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.

The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is freezing rain.

Next Topic: Snow

Weather Topic: What are Stratocumulus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Stratocumulus Clouds

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds

Stratocumulus clouds are similar to altocumulus clouds in their fluffy appearance, but have a slightly darker shade due to their additional mass.

A good way to distinguish the two cloud types is to hold your hand out and measure the size of an individual cloud; if it is the size of your thumb it is generally an altocumulus cloud, if it is the size of your hand it is generally a stratocumulus cloud.

It is uncommon for stratocumulus clouds to produce precipitation, but if they do it is usually a light rain or snow.

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds