Weather Alerts for California

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1. Extreme Heat Warning for: Apple and Lucerne Valleys

2. Extreme Heat Warning for: Coachella Valley; San Diego County Deserts; San Gorgonio Pass Near Banning

3. Extreme Heat Warning for: Cuyama Valley; Santa Clarita Valley; Santa Lucia Mountains; Southern Salinas Valley; San Luis Obispo County Interior Valleys; San Luis Obispo County Mountains; Santa Ynez Valley; Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains; Western Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area; Calabasas and Agoura Hills; Western San Fernando Valley; Eastern San Fernando Valley; Southeastern Ventura County Valleys; Santa Susana Mountains; Southern Ventura County Mountains; Northern Ventura County Mountains; Interstate 5 Corridor; Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor; Eastern San Gabriel Mountains; Western Antelope Valley Foothills; Eastern Antelope Valley Foothills; Antelope Valley; Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley

4. Extreme Heat Warning for: Indian Wells Valley; Mojave Desert Slopes; Mojave Desert

5. Extreme Heat Warning for: Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range; Los Angeles County Inland Coast including Downtown Los Angeles; Eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area

6. Extreme Heat Warning for: Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range

7. Extreme Heat Warning for: West Side Mountains north of 198; Coalinga - Avenal; Fresno-Clovis; West Side Mountains South of 198; Buena Vista; Bakersfield; South End San Joaquin Valley; Mariposa Madera Foothills; Fresno-Tulare Foothills; South End Sierra Foothills

8. Heat Advisory for: Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties

9. Heat Advisory for: Los Banos - Dos Palos; Merced - Madera - Mendota; Planada - Le Grand - Snelling; West Side of Fresno and Kings Counties; Caruthers - San Joaquin - Selma; Buttonwillow - Lost Hills - I5; Delano-Wasco-Shafter; Hanford - Corcoran - Lemoore; Visalia - Porterville - Reedley; Southeast San Joaquin Valley; Kern River Valley

10. Heat Advisory for: North Bay Interior Mountains; East Bay Interior Valleys; Santa Cruz Mountains; Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose; Eastern Santa Clara Hills; East Bay Hills; Southern Salinas Valley/Arroyo Seco and Lake San Antonio; Santa Lucia Mountains and Los Padres National Forest; Mountains Of San Benito County And Interior Monterey County Including Pinnacles National Park

11. Heat Advisory for: Northern Humboldt Interior; Southern Humboldt Interior; Northwestern Mendocino Interior; Southeastern Mendocino Interior

12. Heat Advisory for: Northern Trinity; Southern Trinity; Northeastern Mendocino Interior; Northern Lake County; Southern Lake County

13. Heat Advisory for: San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire

14. Heat Advisory for: San Bernardino County Mountains; Riverside County Mountains; San Diego County Mountains

15. Heat Advisory for: San Diego County Inland Valleys

16. Heat Advisory for: San Luis Obispo County Inland Central Coast; Santa Barbara County Inland Central Coast; Lake Casitas; Ojai Valley; Central Ventura County Valleys; Palos Verdes Hills

17. Heat Advisory for: Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills; Orange County Inland

18. Heat Advisory for: Shasta Lake Area / Northern Shasta County; Northern Sacramento Valley; Central Sacramento Valley; Southern Sacramento Valley; Carquinez Strait and Delta; Northern San Joaquin Valley; Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County

19. Red Flag Warning for: Cuyama Valley; San Luis Obispo County Mountains; Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range; Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range; Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains

20. Red Flag Warning for: Fort Tejon

21. Red Flag Warning for: Santa Clarita Valley; Santa Susana Mountains; Southern Ventura County Mountains; Northern Ventura County Mountains; Interstate 5 Corridor; Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor; Eastern San Gabriel Mountains; Western Antelope Valley Foothills; Eastern Antelope Valley Foothills

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Weather Topic: What are Stratus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Stratus Clouds

Next Topic: Wall Clouds

Stratus clouds are similar to altostratus clouds, but form at a lower altitude and are identified by their fog-like appearance, lacking the distinguishing features of most clouds.

Stratus clouds are wider than most clouds, and their base has a smooth, uniform look which is lighter in color than a nimbostratus cloud. The presence of a stratus cloud indicates the possibility of minor precipitation, such as drizzle, but heavier precipitation does not typically arrive in the form of a stratus cloud.

Next Topic: Wall Clouds

Weather Topic: What are Altocumulus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Altocumulus Clouds

Next Topic: Altostratus Clouds

Similar to cirrocumulus clouds, altocumulus clouds are characterized by cloud patches. They are distinguished by larger cloudlets than cirrocumulus clouds but are still smaller than stratocumulus clouds.

Altocumulus clouds most commonly form in middle altitudes (between 2 and 5 km) and may resemble, at times, the shape of a flying saucer. These uncommon formations, called altocumulus lenticularis, are created by uplift in the atmosphere and are most often seen in close proximity to mountains.

Next Topic: Altostratus Clouds