Surprise, AZ Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for SurpriseWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Surprise?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 376 days in the Northwest Valley forecast zone and Maricopa County — the most common reported hazard around Surprise, mostly in August and July. Next come flash flooding (219 days) and excessive heat (70 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 heat70Jun 2024Jul 11, 2023 · 9 deaths
Lightning casualties & damage56Oct 2025Jul 27, 1999 · 1 death
Flooding51Nov 2025Apr 1, 2023 · 2 deaths
Dust storms7Jul 2024—

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 Northwest Valley forecast zone and Maricopa County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Surprise?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 52 miles east-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 SurpriseView
KIWA
Phoenix, AZ		52 mi east-southeast3,800 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KFSX
Flagstaff, AZ		95 mi northeast8,900 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KYUX
Yuma, AZ		151 mi west-southwest18,400 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 Surprise

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 20 tornadoes within 25 miles of Surprise, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and October. The strongest was an F2 on October 3, 1968, which touched down about 12 miles south of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on September 27, 2025, which touched down about 24 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 40 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 1 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on August 15, 2003.

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 Surprise'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.

Surprise radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Surprise, AZ?

KIWA (Phoenix, AZ), about 52 miles east-southeast. KFSX (Flagstaff, AZ) is 95 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Surprise?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Surprise the lowest scan from KIWA is about 3,800 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

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