Benton, AL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Benton What TALON shows

What weather hits Benton?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 46 days in the Lowndes forecast zone and Lowndes County — the most common reported hazard around Benton, mostly in June and April. Next come flash flooding (17 days) and excessive heat (11 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	46	Jun 2026	Apr 30, 2005 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding	17	Jun 2026	Sep 29, 1998 · $60,000 damage
Excessive heat	11	Jul 2025	Aug 8, 2007 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms	5	Jan 2025	Dec 18, 1996 · $35,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	4	Jan 2014	Mar 7, 1996 · $1.0 million damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	3	Oct 2020	Jul 10, 2005 · $250,000 damage
High winds	2	Apr 2020	Sep 16, 2004 · $3.7 million damage
Flooding	2	Nov 2009	Nov 10, 2009 · $15,000 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 Lowndes forecast zone and Lowndes County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Benton?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 60 miles north. 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Benton	View
KBMX Birmingham, AL	60 mi north	4,500 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMXX Maxwell AFB, AL	62 mi east-northeast	4,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KEOX Fort Rucker, AL	99 mi southeast	9,500 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Benton

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 94 tornadoes within 25 miles of Benton, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an EF3 on January 12, 2023, which passed about 16 miles north-northeast of town and caused 7 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on April 6, 2025, which touched down about 8 miles west of town.

Hail: 105 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 14 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on April 25, 2003.

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 Benton'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.

Benton radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Benton, AL?

KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 60 miles north. KMXX (Maxwell AFB, AL) is 62 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Benton?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Benton the lowest scan from KBMX is about 4,500 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Alabama towns →