Franklin, AL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Franklin What TALON shows

What weather hits Franklin?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 53 days in the Macon forecast zone and Macon County — the most common reported hazard around Franklin, mostly in June and August. Next come flash flooding (13 days) and excessive heat (7 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	53	Jun 2026	Mar 6, 1996 · $162,000 damage
Flash flooding	13	Feb 2024	May 7, 2009 · $100,000 damage
Excessive heat	7	Aug 2023	—
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	Aug 29, 2005 · $65,000 damage
Flooding	2	Feb 2024	—
High winds	1	Sep 2004	Sep 16, 2004 · $435,000 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 Macon forecast zone and Macon County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Franklin?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMXX (Maxwell AFB, AL), about 6 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 Franklin	View
KMXX Maxwell AFB, AL	6 mi north	300 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KEOX Fort Rucker, AL	71 mi south-southeast	5,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KBMX Birmingham, AL	76 mi northwest	6,400 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 Franklin

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 114 tornadoes within 25 miles of Franklin, 23 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and January. The strongest was an EF4 on March 3, 2019, which passed about 18 miles east of town and caused 23 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on May 21, 2025, which passed about 19 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 127 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on March 27, 2005.

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 Franklin'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.

Franklin radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Franklin, AL?

KMXX (Maxwell AFB, AL), about 6 miles north. KEOX (Fort Rucker, AL) is 71 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Franklin?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Franklin the lowest scan from KMXX is about 300 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Alabama towns →