NWS Eureka, CA 2026 Public Weather Zone Changes

Effective March 3, 2026, NWS Eureka, CA will reconfigure public weather zones in Northwest California. Currently, 15 public weather forecast zones cover northwestern California. This change will add 3 new forecast zones; 1 in Trinity County and 2 in Lake County.

These zone changes are being done to improve the alerting capabilities across northwest California. In Trinity County the northern zone is being split in two to allow for more targeted winter weather alerts in the northeastern corner of the county. Winter storm products issued specifically for Scott Mountain Summit will only highlight areas of Highway 3 from the northern border to the south end of Trinity Lake. This will reduce unnecessary alerting to the Highway 299 corridor. And last, Lake County's southern zone will be split into 3 zones. The zone is being split into a west zone and an east zone, plus an added southwestern zone to cover for the higher elevations over 2000 feet, including Cobb, in that portion of the county.

                Old Zones       ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►      New Zones

Current Zone Map:

 Future Zone Map:

Trinity County Old Vs New Zone Maps:

Lake County Old Vs New Zone Maps:

List of all old zone numbers and names:

• CAZ101: Coastal Del Norte

• CAZ102: Del Norte Interior

• CAZ103: Northern Humboldt Coast

• CAZ104: Southwestern Humboldt

• CAZ105: Northern Humboldt Interior

• CAZ106: Southern Humboldt Interior

• CAZ107: Northern Trinity

• CAZ108: Southern Trinity

• CAZ109: Mendocino Coast

• CAZ110: Northwestern Mendocino Interior

• CAZ111: Northeastern Mendocino Interior

• CAZ112: Southwestern Mendocino Interior

• CAZ113: Southeastern Mendocino Interior

• CAZ114: Northern Lake

• CAZ115: Southern Lake

List of all new zone numbers and names:

• CAZ101: Coastal Del Norte

• CAZ102: Interior Del Norte

• CAZ103: Northern Coastal Humboldt

• CAZ104: Southwestern Humboldt

• CAZ105: Northeastern Interior Humboldt

• CAZ106: Southeastern Interior Humboldt

• CAZ108: Southern Trinity

• CAZ109: Coastal Mendocino

• CAZ110: Northwestern Interior Mendocino

• CAZ111: Northeastern Interior Mendocino

• CAZ112: Southwestern Interior Mendocino

• CAZ113: Southeastern Interior Mendocino

• CAZ114: Northern Lake

• CAZ116: Northwestern and Central Trinity

• CAZ117: Northeastern Trinity

• CAZ118: Western Lake

• CAZ119: Southwestern Lake

• CAZ120: Eastern Lake

All public forecast products are impacted by these zone changes. Products affected by the public weather zone changes are shown below:

• Air Quality Alert (AQAEKA)

• Zone Forecast (ZFPEKA)

• Point Forecast Matrices  (PFMEKA)

• Tabular State Forecast (SFTEKA)

• Area Forecast Discussion (AFDEKA)

• Short Term Forecast (NOWEKA)

• Special Weather Statement (SPSEKA)

• Public Information Statement (PNSEKA)

• Non-Precipitation Watch/Warning/Advisory (NPWEKA)

• Coastal Hazard Message (CFWEKA)

• Surf Zone Forecast (SRFEKA)

• Tsunami Message (TSUWCA)

• Public Tsunami Message (TSUAK1)

• Mensaje de Tsunami (TSUSPN)

• Flood Watch (FFAEKA)

• Hydrologic Outlook (ESFEKA)

• Winter WEather Message (WSWEKA)

• Watch County Notification (WCNEKA)

The official service change notice can be found here.

If you have any questions or comments about this change, please contact:

Ryan Aylward
Warning Coordination Meteorologist
NWS Eureka, CA
ryan.aylward@noaa.gov