Gadsden, AL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Gadsden What TALON shows

What weather hits Gadsden?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 145 days in the Etowah forecast zone and Etowah County — the most common reported hazard around Gadsden, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (23 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (17 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	145	Jun 2026	Apr 24, 2010 · 1 death · $2,000 damage
Flash flooding	23	Jun 2026	Nov 24, 2004 · $200,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	17	Jan 2025	Jan 28, 2000 · $15,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	13	Oct 2010	Jul 27, 2005 · $110,000 damage
Excessive heat	7	Jul 2025	—
Flooding	7	Mar 2024	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	4	Jan 2014	Mar 7, 1996 · $1.0 million damage
High winds	4	Apr 2020	Sep 16, 2004 · $180,000 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 Etowah forecast zone and Etowah County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Gadsden?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KHTX (Huntsville, AL), about 64 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 Gadsden	View
KHTX Huntsville, AL	64 mi north	5,000 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KBMX Birmingham, AL	72 mi southwest	5,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KFFC Atlanta, GA	95 mi east-southeast	8,800 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 Gadsden

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 121 tornadoes within 25 miles of Gadsden, 58 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an F4 on March 27, 1994, which passed about 14 miles south-southeast of town and caused 22 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on May 20, 2025, which passed about 19 miles north of town.

Hail: 282 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 22 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 2, 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 Gadsden'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.

Gadsden radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Gadsden, AL?

KHTX (Huntsville, AL), about 64 miles north. KBMX (Birmingham, AL) is 72 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Gadsden?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Gadsden the lowest scan from KHTX is about 5,000 ft up.

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

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