Watkins, CO Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for WatkinsWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Watkins?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 104 days in the North Douglas County Below 6000 Feet/Denver/West Adams and Arapahoe Counties/East Broomfield County forecast zone and Arapahoe County — the most common reported hazard around Watkins, mostly in March and April. Next come high winds (92 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (68 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms104May 2026—
High winds92Dec 2025Dec 28, 1997 · $120,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds68Jun 2026Aug 28, 1999 · $20,000 damage
Flash flooding31Jun 2023Jul 24, 2018 · 1 death · $500,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage28Sep 2019Aug 16, 2000 · $250,000 damage
Blizzards9Mar 2021Dec 20, 2006 · 2 deaths
Flooding8Aug 2025Sep 12, 2013 · $3.3 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill7Jan 2025Dec 18, 1998 · 3 deaths

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 North Douglas County Below 6000 Feet/Denver/West Adams and Arapahoe Counties/East Broomfield County forecast zone and Arapahoe County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Watkins?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFTG (Denver/Boulder, CO), about 6 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over WatkinsView
KFTG
Denver/Boulder, CO		6 mi north-northeast300 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KPUX
Pueblo, CO		88 mi south-southeast8,000 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCYS
Cheyenne, WY		101 mi north9,800 ftFair — 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 Watkins

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 325 tornadoes within 25 miles of Watkins, 19 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F3 on June 15, 1988, which touched down about 19 miles west of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on August 10, 2025, which touched down about 23 miles east of town.

Hail: 1,173 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 104 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on July 13, 2011.

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 Watkins'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.

Watkins radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Watkins, CO?

KFTG (Denver/Boulder, CO), about 6 miles north-northeast. KPUX (Pueblo, CO) is 88 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Watkins?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Watkins the lowest scan from KFTG is about 300 ft up.

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

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