Crested Butte, CO Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Crested Butte What TALON shows

What weather hits Crested Butte?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 339 days in the West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone and Gunnison County — the most common reported hazard around Crested Butte, mostly in February and January. Next come avalanches (25 days) and high winds (22 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	339	Apr 2026	Sep 8, 2020 · $15,000 damage
Avalanches	25	Apr 2025	Feb 6, 1999 · 3 deaths
High winds	22	Mar 2026	—
Debris flows	16	Aug 2024	Apr 19, 2007 · $50,000 damage
Wildfires	12	Dec 2023	Jul 26, 2023 · $2.0 million damage
Flooding	10	Aug 2023	Jun 21, 2019 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill	7	Jan 2025	—
Lightning casualties & damage	6	Jul 2020	Jul 28, 1996 · $35,000 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 West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone and Gunnison County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Crested Butte get?

A normal year brings about 203 inches of snow to Crested Butte, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Crested Butte weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually January (42.2 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
8.5	25.3	35.1	42.2	35.2	29.1	19.4	6.7

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

Which radars cover Crested Butte?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGJX (Grand Junction, CO), about 68 miles west-northwest. 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 Crested Butte	View
KGJX Grand Junction, CO	68 mi west-northwest	5,400 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KFTG Denver/Boulder, CO	145 mi east-northeast	17,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPUX Pueblo, CO	154 mi east	18,900 ft	Limited — 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 Crested Butte

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 1 tornado within 25 miles of Crested Butte.

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 Crested Butte'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.

Crested Butte radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Crested Butte, CO?

KGJX (Grand Junction, CO), about 68 miles west-northwest. KFTG (Denver/Boulder, CO) is 145 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Crested Butte?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Crested Butte the lowest scan from KGJX is about 5,400 ft up.

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

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