Mesa, AZ Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for MesaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Mesa?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 376 days in the East Valley forecast zone and Maricopa County — the most common reported hazard around Mesa, mostly in August and July. Next come flash flooding (219 days) and excessive heat (155 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
Excessive heat155Jun 2024Jul 11, 2023 · 36 deaths
Lightning casualties & damage56Oct 2025Jul 27, 1999 · 1 death
Flooding51Nov 2025Apr 1, 2023 · 2 deaths
Dust storms22Sep 2025Apr 12, 2018 · 1 death
High winds2Oct 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 East Valley forecast zone and Maricopa County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Mesa?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 8 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 MesaView
KIWA
Phoenix, AZ		8 mi south-southeast400 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFSX
Flagstaff, AZ		86 mi north-northeast7,700 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KEMX
Tucson, AZ		122 mi south-southeast13,000 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 Mesa

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 48 tornadoes within 25 miles of Mesa, 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 9 miles west of town. The most recent was an EF0 on October 16, 2022, which touched down about 17 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 79 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 4 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on October 5, 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 Mesa'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.

Mesa radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Mesa, AZ?

KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 8 miles south-southeast. KFSX (Flagstaff, AZ) is 86 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Mesa?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Mesa the lowest scan from KIWA is about 400 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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