Cotopaxi, CO Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for CotopaxiWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Cotopaxi?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 67 days in the Western/Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft forecast zone and Fremont County — the most common reported hazard around Cotopaxi, mostly in March and December. Next come flash flooding (43 days) and high winds (22 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms67Jan 2026—
Flash flooding43Jul 2025Jul 5, 2006 · $2.0 million damage
High winds22Nov 2020Apr 11, 2001 · $100,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds11Aug 2024—
Flooding8Jun 2024Aug 6, 1997 · 2 deaths
Lightning casualties & damage6Jul 2019Jul 3, 2008 · $150,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill5Jan 1997—
Wildfires5Aug 2016Jun 2, 2002 · $5.0 million 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 Western/Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft forecast zone and Fremont County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Cotopaxi?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KPUX (Pueblo, CO), about 82 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 CotopaxiView
KPUX
Pueblo, CO		82 mi east7,100 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFTG
Denver/Boulder, CO		115 mi north-northeast12,000 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KGJX
Grand Junction, CO		144 mi west-northwest17,100 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 Cotopaxi

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 9 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cotopaxi. Most came in July and August. The strongest was an F1 on February 13, 1954, which touched down about 20 miles southeast of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on June 9, 2024, which touched down about 22 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 37 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 2 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on August 1, 1996.

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 Cotopaxi'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.

Cotopaxi radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cotopaxi, CO?

KPUX (Pueblo, CO), about 82 miles east. KFTG (Denver/Boulder, CO) is 115 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Cotopaxi?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cotopaxi the lowest scan from KPUX is about 7,100 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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