Nelson, AZ Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Nelson What TALON shows

What weather hits Nelson?

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 Nelson, mostly in July and August. Next come flash flooding (357 days) and excessive heat (197 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	426	Jun 2026	Jul 14, 2024 · $25 million damage
Flash flooding	357	Jun 2026	Aug 3, 2008 · 3 deaths
Excessive heat	197	Jun 2026	Jul 14, 2023 · 40 deaths
Lightning casualties & damage	66	Jul 2025	Aug 14, 2014 · 1 death
Flooding	37	Jul 2025	Sep 7, 2012 · 1 death · $20,000 damage
Wildfires	14	Aug 2023	Jun 17, 2003 · $66 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	8	Feb 2026	Jan 18, 2026 · 2 deaths
Debris flows	8	Jul 2022	Jun 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 Nelson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 52 miles 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Nelson	View
KEMX Tucson, AZ	52 mi southeast	3,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KIWA Phoenix, AZ	64 mi north-northwest	5,000 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KFSX Flagstaff, AZ	148 mi north	17,800 ft	Limited — 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 Nelson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 10 tornadoes within 25 miles of Nelson, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and July. The strongest was an F2 on August 27, 1964, which touched down about 21 miles southeast of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on August 13, 2023, which touched down about 9 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 61 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 Nelson'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.

Nelson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Nelson, AZ?

KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 52 miles southeast. KIWA (Phoenix, AZ) is 64 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Nelson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Nelson the lowest scan from KEMX is about 3,800 ft up.

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

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