Sheffield, AL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Sheffield What TALON shows

What weather hits Sheffield?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 297 days in the Colbert forecast zone and Colbert County — the most common reported hazard around Sheffield, mostly in June and July. Next come excessive heat (106 days) and flash flooding (69 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	297	May 2026	Aug 4, 2011 · 1 death · $125,000 damage
Excessive heat	106	Aug 2025	—
Flash flooding	69	Jun 2025	May 6, 2003 · $500,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	20	Feb 2026	Mar 7, 1996 · $1.0 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	20	Jul 2023	Oct 24, 2010 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms	17	Jan 2025	Jan 27, 2000 · $15,000 damage
High winds	14	Mar 2023	Apr 8, 2000 · 1 death · $5,000 damage
Flooding	14	Feb 2023	—

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 Colbert forecast zone and Colbert County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Sheffield?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGWX (Columbus AFB, MS), about 70 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 Sheffield	View
KGWX Columbus AFB, MS	70 mi south-southwest	5,600 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KHTX Huntsville, AL	92 mi east	8,500 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KOHX Nashville, TN	121 mi north-northeast	12,900 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 Sheffield

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 116 tornadoes within 25 miles of Sheffield, 32 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an F5 on April 3, 1974, which passed about 23 miles south-southeast of town and caused 28 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on May 20, 2025, which touched down about 20 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 258 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 22 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on February 12, 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 Sheffield'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.

Sheffield radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Sheffield, AL?

KGWX (Columbus AFB, MS), about 70 miles south-southwest. KHTX (Huntsville, AL) is 92 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Sheffield?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Sheffield the lowest scan from KGWX is about 5,600 ft up.

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

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