Tubac, AZ Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for TubacWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Tubac?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 81 days in the Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales forecast zone and Santa Cruz County — the most common reported hazard around Tubac, mostly in August and July. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (67 days) and excessive heat (51 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flash flooding81Jul 2025Jul 12, 2008 · 2 deaths · $600,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds67Jul 2025Jun 29, 1996 · $330,000 damage
Excessive heat51Sep 2025Jul 15, 2023 · 6 deaths
Wildfires16Jun 2025Apr 29, 2002 · $90,000 damage
High winds7Apr 2026—
Heavy snow & winter storms5Mar 2023Jan 2, 2019 · $10,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage4Jun 2025Jul 30, 2014 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill3Mar 2025Jan 23, 2023 · 2 deaths

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 Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales forecast zone and Santa Cruz County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Tubac?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 32 miles northeast. 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 TubacView
KEMX
Tucson, AZ		32 mi northeast2,000 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KIWA
Phoenix, AZ		121 mi north-northwest13,000 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KFSX
Flagstaff, AZ		205 mi north30,400 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 Tubac

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 3 tornadoes within 25 miles of Tubac. Most came in March and August. The strongest was an F1 on August 16, 1969, which touched down about 23 miles north-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on May 9, 2012, which touched down about 15 miles south-southeast of town.

Hail: 36 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 2 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on September 28, 1995.

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 Tubac'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.

Tubac radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Tubac, AZ?

KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 32 miles northeast. KIWA (Phoenix, AZ) is 121 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Tubac?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Tubac the lowest scan from KEMX is about 2,000 ft up.

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

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