Weather Alerts for California

Recent Locations: Vancleave, MS Bath, MI Carpinteria, CA

Current Alerts for Carpinteria, CA: Wind Advisory

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

2. Freeze Warning for: Del Norte Interior; Northern Humboldt Interior; Southern Humboldt Interior; Northern Trinity; Southern Trinity; Northwestern Mendocino Interior; Northeastern Mendocino Interior; Northern Lake County; Southern Lake County

3. Freeze Warning for: Del Norte Interior; Northern Humboldt Interior; Southern Humboldt Interior; Northern Trinity; Southern Trinity; Northwestern Mendocino Interior; Northeastern Mendocino Interior; Northern Lake County; Southern Lake County

4. Freeze Warning for: Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties

5. Freeze Warning for: Southeastern Mendocino Interior

6. Freeze Warning for: Surprise Valley California; Northern Washoe County

7. Freeze Warning for: Western Siskiyou County; Eastern Curry County and Josephine County; Jackson County

8. Frost Advisory for: Coastal Del Norte; Northern Humboldt Coast; Southwestern Humboldt; Mendocino Coast

9. Frost Advisory for: Coastal Del Norte; Northern Humboldt Coast; Southwestern Humboldt; Mendocino Coast

10. Frost Advisory for: Southwestern Mendocino Interior

11. Frost Advisory for: Southwestern Mendocino Interior

12. Frost Advisory for: Western Siskiyou County; Eastern Curry County and Josephine County; Jackson County

13. Wind Advisory for: Apple and Lucerne Valleys

14. Wind Advisory for: Indian Wells Valley; Mojave Desert

15. Wind Advisory for: Mojave Desert Slopes

16. Wind Advisory for: Northern Sacramento Valley; Central Sacramento Valley; Southern Sacramento Valley; Carquinez Strait and Delta

17. Wind Advisory for: San Luis Obispo County Beaches; Santa Barbara County Central Coast Beaches

18. Wind Advisory for: Santa Barbara County Southwestern Coast; Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range; Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range

19. Wind Advisory for: Santa Lucia Mountains

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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

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North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

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Weather Topic: What are Fractus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Fractus Clouds

Fractus Clouds Next Topic: Freezing Rain

A fractus cloud (scud) is a fragmented, tattered cloud which has likely been sheared off of another cloud. They are accessory clouds, meaning they develop from parent clouds, and are named in a way which describes the original cloud which contained them.

Fractus clouds which have originated from cumulus clouds are referred to as cumulus fractus, while fractus clouds which have originated from stratus clouds are referred to as stratus fractus. Under certain conditions a fractus cloud might merge with another cloud, or develop into a cumulus cloud, but usually a fractus cloud seen by itself will dissipate rapidly.

They are often observed on the leading and trailing edges of storm clouds, and are a display of wind activity.

Next Topic: Freezing Rain

Weather Topic: What is Graupel?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Graupel

Graupel Next Topic: Hail

Graupel is a form of precipitation that is created by atmospheric conditions which cause supercooled water droplets to contact snow crystals and freeze to their surface.

Sometimes known as soft hail or snow pellets, graupel is delicate and easily destroyed by touch. Whereas hail usually falls during severe weather, graupel doesn't require such conditions to form, and can form in mild precipitation similar to situations which produce snowfall.

Next Topic: Hail