Fountain Hills, AZ Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Fountain HillsWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Fountain Hills?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 376 days in the Fountain Hills/East Mesa forecast zone and Maricopa County — the most common reported hazard around Fountain Hills, 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
Flooding51Nov 2025Apr 1, 2023 · 2 deaths
Excessive heat47Jun 2024—
Dust storms2Aug 2025—
High winds1Oct 2022—

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 Fountain Hills/East Mesa forecast zone and Maricopa County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Fountain Hills?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 22 miles south. 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 Fountain HillsView
KIWA
Phoenix, AZ		22 mi south1,300 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFSX
Flagstaff, AZ		74 mi north-northeast6,100 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KEMX
Tucson, AZ		135 mi south-southeast15,300 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 Fountain Hills

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 42 tornadoes within 25 miles of Fountain Hills, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and September. The strongest was an F2 on August 30, 1971, which passed about 15 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 24, 2020, which touched down about 10 miles east of town.

Hail: 75 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 July 25, 1990.

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 Fountain Hills'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.

Fountain Hills radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Fountain Hills, AZ?

KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 22 miles south. KFSX (Flagstaff, AZ) is 74 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Fountain Hills?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Fountain Hills the lowest scan from KIWA is about 1,300 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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