Carefree, AZ Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for CarefreeWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Carefree?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 376 days in the Cave Creek/New River forecast zone and Maricopa County — the most common reported hazard around Carefree, mostly in August and July. Next come flash flooding (219 days) and lightning casualties & damage (56 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds376Nov 2025Jul 14, 2001 · 1 death · $5.0 million damage
Flash flooding219Nov 2025Mar 28, 1998 · 3 deaths
Lightning casualties & damage56Oct 2025Jul 27, 1999 · 1 death
Excessive heat52May 2025May 21, 2025 · 1 death
Flooding51Nov 2025Apr 1, 2023 · 2 deaths
Dust storms4Apr 2025—
Heavy snow & winter storms1Feb 2019Feb 21, 2019 · $50,000 damage
Wildfires1Jun 2020—

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 Cave Creek/New River forecast zone and Maricopa County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Carefree?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 39 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 CarefreeView
KIWA
Phoenix, AZ		39 mi south-southeast2,600 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFSX
Flagstaff, AZ		66 mi northeast5,200 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KEMX
Tucson, AZ		153 mi south-southeast18,700 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 Carefree

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 21 tornadoes within 25 miles of Carefree, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and September. The strongest was an F2 on June 21, 1972, which passed about 12 miles south of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 24, 2020, which touched down about 24 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 39 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 4 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on August 15, 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 Carefree'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.

Carefree radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Carefree, AZ?

KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 39 miles south-southeast. KFSX (Flagstaff, AZ) is 66 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Carefree?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Carefree the lowest scan from KIWA is about 2,600 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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