Cottondale, AL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Cottondale What TALON shows

What weather hits Cottondale?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 181 days in the Tuscaloosa forecast zone and Tuscaloosa County — the most common reported hazard around Cottondale, mostly in June and April. Next come flash flooding (51 days) and lightning casualties & damage (29 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	181	Jun 2026	Jun 19, 2021 · 2 deaths
Flash flooding	51	Apr 2025	Mar 22, 2022 · 3 deaths
Lightning casualties & damage	29	Jul 2023	Jul 23, 1997 · $75,000 damage
Excessive heat	27	Jul 2025	Aug 8, 2007 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill	12	Jan 2014	Feb 5, 1996 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms	11	Jan 2025	Jan 27, 2000 · $25,000 damage
Flooding	10	May 2025	—
High winds	7	Jan 2013	Mar 12, 2001 · 1 death · $14,000 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 Tuscaloosa forecast zone and Tuscaloosa County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Cottondale?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 40 miles east. 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 Cottondale	View
KBMX Birmingham, AL	40 mi east	2,600 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KGWX Columbus AFB, MS	70 mi northwest	5,700 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMXX Maxwell AFB, AL	107 mi east-southeast	10,600 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 Cottondale

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 121 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cottondale, 37 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in March and April. The strongest was an F5 on March 3, 1966, which passed about 10 miles north-northwest of town and caused 58 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on March 15, 2025, which passed about 22 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 167 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 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 Cottondale'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.

Cottondale radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cottondale, AL?

KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 40 miles east. KGWX (Columbus AFB, MS) is 70 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Cottondale?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cottondale the lowest scan from KBMX is about 2,600 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Alabama towns →