Kirkwood, CA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Kirkwood What TALON shows

What weather hits Kirkwood?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged debris flows on 9 days in the Sierra Nevada of El Dorado-Amador-Northern Alpine Counties Above 5000 ft Including Highway 50 forecast zone and Alpine County — the most common reported hazard around Kirkwood, mostly in July and August. Next come flooding (2 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (1 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Debris flows	9	Aug 2025	—
Flooding	2	Jul 2021	Dec 31, 2005 · $1.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	1	Apr 2026	—
Damaging thunderstorm winds	1	Aug 2000	—

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 Sierra Nevada of El Dorado-Amador-Northern Alpine Counties Above 5000 ft Including Highway 50 forecast zone and Alpine County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Kirkwood get?

A normal year brings about 77 inches of snow to Kirkwood, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Markleeville weather station 14.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (20.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.8	4.0	18.7	11.9	20.7	13.0	6.6	1.1

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Kirkwood?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRGX (Reno, NV), about 80 miles north-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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Kirkwood	View
KRGX Reno, NV	80 mi north-northeast	6,900 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDAX Sacramento, CA	89 mi west	8,000 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KBBX Beale AFB, CA	101 mi northwest	9,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Kirkwood

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 2 tornadoes within 25 miles of Kirkwood. The strongest was an EF0 on July 8, 2015, which touched down about 18 miles north of town. The most recent was an EF0 on September 21, 2017, which touched down about 24 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 18 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on August 20, 2017.

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 Kirkwood'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.

Kirkwood radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Kirkwood, CA?

KRGX (Reno, NV), about 80 miles north-northeast. KDAX (Sacramento, CA) is 89 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Kirkwood?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Kirkwood the lowest scan from KRGX is about 6,900 ft up — fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation.

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

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