West Jefferson, AL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for West JeffersonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits West Jefferson?

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 West Jefferson, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (125 days) and excessive heat (49 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds239Jun 2026Jul 21, 2022 · 2 deaths
Flash flooding125Jun 2026Mar 16, 2022 · 1 death
Excessive heat49Jul 2025Jun 28, 2012 · 2 deaths
Extreme cold & wind chill23Jan 2014Dec 31, 2000 · 1 death
Lightning casualties & damage22Jul 2017Apr 8, 2010 · $200,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms15Jan 2025Jan 28, 2014 · 1 death
Flooding14Jun 2026Mar 7, 1996 · $200,000 damage
High winds9Mar 2022Sep 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 West Jefferson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 38 miles south-southeast. 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over West JeffersonView
KBMX
Birmingham, AL		38 mi south-southeast2,500 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KGWX
Columbus AFB, MS		76 mi west-northwest6,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KHTX
Huntsville, AL		103 mi north-northeast10,000 ftLimited — 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 West Jefferson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 163 tornadoes within 25 miles of West Jefferson, 59 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an F5 on April 8, 1998, which passed about 10 miles south-southeast of town and caused 32 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on November 25, 2025, which passed about 2 miles south-southeast of town.

Hail: 365 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 36 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on March 31, 2012.

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 West Jefferson'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.

West Jefferson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to West Jefferson, AL?

KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 38 miles south-southeast. KGWX (Columbus AFB, MS) is 76 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in West Jefferson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over West Jefferson the lowest scan from KBMX is about 2,500 ft up.

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

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