Clifton, CO Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for CliftonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Clifton?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 81 days in the Grand Valley forecast zone and Mesa County — the most common reported hazard around Clifton, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (48 days) and high winds (39 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds81Sep 2025Jul 28, 2005 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding48Sep 2025Aug 5, 1997 · $250,000 damage
High winds39Feb 2026May 11, 2022 · 1 death
Flooding29Aug 2023May 6, 2023 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms26Feb 2023—
Debris flows19Aug 2025May 25, 2014 · 3 deaths · $25,000 damage
Wildfires17Jul 2024Jul 15, 2024 · $650,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage9Jul 2016Jul 17, 2013 · $60,000 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 Grand Valley forecast zone and Mesa County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Clifton get?

A normal year brings about 13 inches of snow to Clifton, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Grand Junction 6Ese weather station 2.4 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (3.5 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.21.73.53.42.11.10.60.0

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

Which radars cover Clifton?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGJX (Grand Junction, CO), about 13 miles east. 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 CliftonView
KGJX
Grand Junction, CO		13 mi east700 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFTG
Denver/Boulder, CO		215 mi east-northeast32,900 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPUX
Pueblo, CO		234 mi east38,300 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 Clifton

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 8 tornadoes within 25 miles of Clifton. Most came in September and May. The strongest was an F1 on September 8, 2000, which touched down about 14 miles southeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on July 9, 2015, which touched down about 19 miles east of town.

Hail: 31 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on June 6, 2025.

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 Clifton'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.

Clifton radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Clifton, CO?

KGJX (Grand Junction, CO), about 13 miles east. KFTG (Denver/Boulder, CO) is 215 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Clifton?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Clifton the lowest scan from KGJX is about 700 ft up.

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

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