Rio Verde, AZ Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Rio VerdeWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Rio Verde?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 376 days in the Rio Verde/Salt River forecast zone and Maricopa County — the most common reported hazard around Rio Verde, 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 heat21Jun 2024—
Wildfires1Jun 2020Jun 13, 2020 · $1.0 million damage
High winds1Oct 2022—
Dust storms1Aug 2025—

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 Rio Verde/Salt River forecast zone and Maricopa County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Rio Verde?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 30 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 Rio VerdeView
KIWA
Phoenix, AZ		30 mi south1,900 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFSX
Flagstaff, AZ		65 mi north-northeast5,100 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KEMX
Tucson, AZ		140 mi south-southeast16,300 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 Rio Verde

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 28 tornadoes within 25 miles of Rio Verde, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and May. The strongest was an F2 on August 30, 1971, which passed about 24 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 24, 2020, which touched down about 9 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 40 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 Rio Verde'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.

Rio Verde radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Rio Verde, AZ?

KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 30 miles south. KFSX (Flagstaff, AZ) is 65 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Rio Verde?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Rio Verde the lowest scan from KIWA is about 1,900 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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