Brandon, FL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for BrandonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Brandon?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 206 days in the Inland Hillsborough forecast zone and Hillsborough County — the most common reported hazard around Brandon, mostly in July and June. Next come lightning casualties & damage (100 days) and flooding (54 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds206Jan 2026Jun 21, 1998 · 1 death · $1,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage100Aug 2023Aug 13, 2012 · 1 death · $385,000 damage
Flooding54Jun 2025Aug 1, 2015 · $4.5 million damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms12Oct 2024Aug 4, 2024 · 1 death
Flash flooding11Jul 2025Sep 26, 1997 · 1 death · $5.3 million damage
Storm surge2Jan 1999—
Wildfires2May 2000—

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 Inland Hillsborough forecast zone and Hillsborough County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Brandon?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KTBW (Tampa, FL), about 17 miles south-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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over BrandonView
KTBW
Tampa, FL		17 mi south-southwest900 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMLB
Melbourne, FL		101 mi east9,800 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KJAX
Jacksonville, FL		180 mi north-northeast24,400 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 Brandon

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 256 tornadoes within 25 miles of Brandon, 27 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F4 on April 4, 1966, which passed about 7 miles north-northwest of town and caused 11 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on September 25, 2025, which touched down about 22 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 206 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on April 24, 2023.

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 Brandon'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.

Brandon radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Brandon, FL?

KTBW (Tampa, FL), about 17 miles south-southwest. KMLB (Melbourne, FL) is 101 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Brandon?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Brandon the lowest scan from KTBW is about 900 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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