Brilliant, AL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Brilliant What TALON shows

What weather hits Brilliant?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 142 days in the Marion forecast zone and Marion County — the most common reported hazard around Brilliant, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (24 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (20 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	142	Jun 2026	Feb 21, 2001 · $250,000 damage
Flash flooding	24	Jul 2024	Dec 8, 2009 · $50,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	20	Jan 2025	Feb 16, 1996 · $15,000 damage
Excessive heat	7	Jul 2025	—
Lightning casualties & damage	5	Jul 2016	Jun 26, 2002 · 3 deaths · $40,000 damage
High winds	4	Sep 2004	Sep 16, 2004 · $920,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	4	Jan 2014	Mar 7, 1996 · $1.0 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	3	Mar 2015	Dec 23, 1998 · $800,000 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 Marion forecast zone and Marion County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Brilliant?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGWX (Columbus AFB, MS), about 33 miles west-southwest. 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 Brilliant	View
KGWX Columbus AFB, MS	33 mi west-southwest	2,100 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KBMX Birmingham, AL	82 mi southeast	7,200 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KHTX Huntsville, AL	115 mi east-northeast	11,800 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms

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 Brilliant

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 120 tornadoes within 25 miles of Brilliant, 33 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an EF5 on April 27, 2011, which passed about 16 miles north-northwest of town and caused 72 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on December 28, 2024, which touched down about 25 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 209 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 15 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 27, 1996.

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 Brilliant'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.

Brilliant radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Brilliant, AL?

KGWX (Columbus AFB, MS), about 33 miles west-southwest. KBMX (Birmingham, AL) is 82 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Brilliant?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Brilliant the lowest scan from KGWX is about 2,100 ft up.

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

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