Clay, AL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Clay What TALON shows

What weather hits Clay?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 239 days in the Jefferson forecast zone and Jefferson County — the most common reported hazard around Clay, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (125 days) and excessive heat (49 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	239	Jun 2026	Jul 21, 2022 · 2 deaths
Flash flooding	125	Jun 2026	Mar 16, 2022 · 1 death
Excessive heat	49	Jul 2025	Jun 28, 2012 · 2 deaths
Extreme cold & wind chill	23	Jan 2014	Dec 31, 2000 · 1 death
Lightning casualties & damage	22	Jul 2017	Apr 8, 2010 · $200,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	15	Jan 2025	Jan 28, 2014 · 1 death
Flooding	14	Jun 2026	Mar 7, 1996 · $200,000 damage
High winds	9	Mar 2022	Sep 16, 2004 · $10 million 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 Jefferson forecast zone and Jefferson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Clay?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 37 miles south-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 Clay	View
KBMX Birmingham, AL	37 mi south-southwest	2,400 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KHTX Huntsville, AL	90 mi north-northeast	8,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMXX Maxwell AFB, AL	93 mi south-southeast	8,600 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 Clay

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 169 tornadoes within 25 miles of Clay, 59 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an F5 on April 8, 1998, which passed about 17 miles west-southwest of town and caused 32 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on November 25, 2025, which passed about 13 miles west of town.

Hail: 303 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 26 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 9, 2024.

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 Clay'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.

Clay radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Clay, AL?

KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 37 miles south-southwest. KHTX (Huntsville, AL) is 90 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Clay?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Clay the lowest scan from KBMX is about 2,400 ft up.

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

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