Catalina Foothills, AZ Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Catalina FoothillsWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Catalina Foothills?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 426 days in the Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail forecast zone and Pima County — the most common reported hazard around Catalina Foothills, mostly in July and August. Next come flash flooding (357 days) and excessive heat (197 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds426Jun 2026Jul 14, 2024 · $25 million damage
Flash flooding357Jun 2026Aug 3, 2008 · 3 deaths
Excessive heat197Jun 2026Jul 14, 2023 · 40 deaths
Lightning casualties & damage66Jul 2025Aug 14, 2014 · 1 death
Flooding37Jul 2025Sep 7, 2012 · 1 death · $20,000 damage
Wildfires14Aug 2023Jun 17, 2003 · $66 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill8Feb 2026Jan 18, 2026 · 2 deaths
Debris flows8Jul 2022Jun 30, 2022 · $10,000 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 Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail forecast zone and Pima County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Catalina Foothills?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 32 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 Catalina FoothillsView
KEMX
Tucson, AZ		32 mi south-southeast2,000 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KIWA
Phoenix, AZ		82 mi north-northwest7,100 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFSX
Flagstaff, AZ		158 mi north19,800 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 Catalina Foothills

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 22 tornadoes within 25 miles of Catalina Foothills, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and August. The strongest was an F2 on August 27, 1964, which touched down about 11 miles southwest of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on September 16, 2025, which touched down about 23 miles south of town.

Hail: 93 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 1 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on August 28, 2002.

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 Catalina Foothills'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.

Catalina Foothills radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Catalina Foothills, AZ?

KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 32 miles south-southeast. KIWA (Phoenix, AZ) is 82 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Catalina Foothills?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Catalina Foothills the lowest scan from KEMX is about 2,000 ft up.

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

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