Benson, AZ Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for BensonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Benson?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 181 days in the Upper San Pedro River Valley including Sierra Vista/Benson forecast zone and Cochise County — the most common reported hazard around Benson, mostly in July and August. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (146 days) and excessive heat (41 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flash flooding181Jun 2026Aug 6, 1997 · 6 deaths
Damaging thunderstorm winds146Sep 2025Aug 24, 2010 · $1.0 million damage
Excessive heat41Jun 2026Jul 3, 2023 · 3 deaths
High winds18Apr 2026Oct 11, 2021 · $75,000 damage
Flooding14Oct 2025Aug 24, 2022 · $1.5 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage13Aug 2023Jun 30, 2015 · 1 death
Wildfires12Jul 2023Jun 20, 2017 · $750,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms6Mar 2023Jan 2, 2019 · $5,000 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 Upper San Pedro River Valley including Sierra Vista/Benson forecast zone and Cochise County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Benson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 18 miles west. 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 BensonView
KEMX
Tucson, AZ		18 mi west1,000 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KIWA
Phoenix, AZ		123 mi northwest13,200 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KFSX
Flagstaff, AZ		191 mi north-northwest26,900 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 Benson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 7 tornadoes within 25 miles of Benson. Most came in September and July. The strongest was an F1 on September 1, 1971, which touched down about 25 miles north-northwest of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on September 12, 2025, which touched down about 20 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 23 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on August 15, 2010.

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 Benson'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.

Benson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Benson, AZ?

KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 18 miles west. KIWA (Phoenix, AZ) is 123 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Benson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Benson the lowest scan from KEMX is about 1,000 ft up.

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

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