Watson, AR Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Watson What TALON shows

What weather hits Watson?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 65 days in the Desha forecast zone and Desha County — the most common reported hazard around Watson, mostly in April and July. Next come flash flooding (25 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (14 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	65	Mar 2026	Oct 30, 2009 · $250,000 damage
Flash flooding	25	Apr 2025	Oct 13, 2009 · $250,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	14	Jan 2026	—
Flooding	11	May 2019	May 1, 2011 · $3.5 million damage
Excessive heat	10	Sep 2012	—
Ice storms & sleet	4	Feb 2003	—
Hurricanes & tropical storms	3	Aug 2020	Sep 13, 2008 · $375,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	2	Oct 2010	May 9, 2007 · $25,000 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 Desha forecast zone and Desha County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Watson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLZK (Little Rock, AR), about 87 miles northwest. 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 Watson	View
KLZK Little Rock, AR	87 mi northwest	7,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KNQA Memphis, TN	127 mi northeast	14,000 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KDGX Jackson, MS	134 mi southeast	15,100 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 Watson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 73 tornadoes within 25 miles of Watson, 21 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in March and April. The strongest was an F4 on April 3, 1968, which passed about 6 miles north of town and caused 5 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on January 5, 2025, which touched down about 24 miles west of town.

Hail: 101 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 15 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on February 5, 2008.

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 Watson'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.

Watson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Watson, AR?

KLZK (Little Rock, AR), about 87 miles northwest. KNQA (Memphis, TN) is 127 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Watson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Watson the lowest scan from KLZK is about 7,800 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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