Gainesville, FL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for GainesvilleWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Gainesville?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 238 days in the Eastern Alachua forecast zone and Alachua County — the most common reported hazard around Gainesville, mostly in June and July. Next come flooding (25 days) and lightning casualties & damage (23 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds238May 2026Jul 5, 2015 · 1 death
Flooding25Jun 2024Jun 7, 2017 · $10,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage23Aug 2025Jan 25, 2011 · $200,000 damage
Wildfires17May 2026May 22, 2020 · $25,000 damage
Flash flooding11Sep 2023Jul 6, 1996 · $500,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms5Oct 2024—
High winds2Apr 2022Feb 6, 2020 · $5,000 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 Eastern Alachua forecast zone and Alachua County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Gainesville?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KJAX (Jacksonville, FL), about 68 miles 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 GainesvilleView
KJAX
Jacksonville, FL		68 mi northeast5,400 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KVAX
Moody AFB, GA		92 mi north-northwest8,500 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KTLH
Tallahassee, FL		129 mi west-northwest14,200 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 Gainesville

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 87 tornadoes within 25 miles of Gainesville, 11 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and March. The strongest was an F2 on April 23, 1983, which passed about 23 miles northwest of town. The most recent was an EF1 on August 4, 2024, which touched down about 24 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 105 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on March 1, 2003.

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 Gainesville'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.

Gainesville radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Gainesville, FL?

KJAX (Jacksonville, FL), about 68 miles northeast. KVAX (Moody AFB, GA) is 92 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Gainesville?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Gainesville the lowest scan from KJAX is about 5,400 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

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