Rifle, CO Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Rifle What TALON shows

What weather hits Rifle?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 46 days in the Debeque to Silt Corridor forecast zone and Garfield County — the most common reported hazard around Rifle, mostly in June and September. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (41 days) and debris flows (41 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	46	Sep 2025	Jun 26, 1996 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms	41	Nov 2024	—
Debris flows	41	Aug 2024	Sep 16, 2006 · 1 death · $100,000 damage
High winds	34	May 2026	Jun 17, 1998 · $500 damage
Flash flooding	32	Aug 2023	Jul 23, 1997 · 1 death · $200,000 damage
Wildfires	28	Jul 2025	Jun 24, 2023 · $4.0 million damage
Flooding	14	Aug 2023	May 21, 2023 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill	8	Jan 2025	—

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 Debeque to Silt Corridor forecast zone and Garfield County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Rifle get?

A normal year brings about 27 inches of snow to Rifle, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Rifle 3Ene weather station 2.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (7.9 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.9	2.7	7.9	6.9	5.5	1.8	1.1	0.0

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

Which radars cover Rifle?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGJX (Grand Junction, CO), about 41 miles southwest. 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 Rifle	View
KGJX Grand Junction, CO	41 mi southwest	2,700 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFTG Denver/Boulder, CO	172 mi east	22,800 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KCYS Cheyenne, WY	192 mi northeast	27,300 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 Rifle

NOAA has no tornado on record within 25 miles of Rifle since 1950.

Hail: 10 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on September 1, 1984.

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 Rifle'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.

Rifle radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Rifle, CO?

KGJX (Grand Junction, CO), about 41 miles southwest. KFTG (Denver/Boulder, CO) is 172 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Rifle?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Rifle the lowest scan from KGJX is about 2,700 ft up.

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

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