Gardner, FL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Gardner What TALON shows

What weather hits Gardner?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 36 days in the Hardee forecast zone and Hardee County — the most common reported hazard around Gardner, mostly in June and August. Next come hurricanes & tropical storms (17 days) and flooding (17 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	36	Jul 2022	Aug 2, 1999 · $150,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	17	Oct 2024	Sep 28, 2022 · 4 deaths · $1.0 million damage
Flooding	17	Jul 2021	Sep 12, 2017 · $1.6 million damage
Flash flooding	7	Jun 2003	Sep 14, 2001 · $1.0 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	5	May 2019	Jul 29, 2003 · $30,000 damage
High winds	3	Sep 2004	Aug 13, 2004 · $252 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	3	Feb 2007	—

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

Which radars cover Gardner?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KTBW (Tampa, FL), about 45 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 Gardner	View
KTBW Tampa, FL	45 mi west-northwest	3,000 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMLB Melbourne, FL	87 mi northeast	7,700 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KAMX Miami, FL	148 mi southeast	17,800 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 Gardner

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 91 tornadoes within 25 miles of Gardner, 5 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F2 on February 2, 1983, which touched down about 24 miles east-northeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on July 21, 2025, which touched down about 17 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 43 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 4 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on May 3, 2005.

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 Gardner'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.

Gardner radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Gardner, FL?

KTBW (Tampa, FL), about 45 miles west-northwest. KMLB (Melbourne, FL) is 87 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Gardner?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Gardner the lowest scan from KTBW is about 3,000 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

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