Lutz, FL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lutz What TALON shows

What weather hits Lutz?

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 Lutz, mostly in July and June. Next come lightning casualties & damage (100 days) and flooding (54 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	206	Jan 2026	Jun 21, 1998 · 1 death · $1,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	100	Aug 2023	Aug 13, 2012 · 1 death · $385,000 damage
Flooding	54	Jun 2025	Aug 1, 2015 · $4.5 million damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	12	Oct 2024	Aug 4, 2024 · 1 death
Flash flooding	11	Jul 2025	Sep 26, 1997 · 1 death · $5.3 million damage
Storm surge	2	Jan 1999	—
Wildfires	2	May 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 Lutz?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KTBW (Tampa, FL), about 30 miles south. 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 Lutz	View
KTBW Tampa, FL	30 mi south	1,900 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMLB Melbourne, FL	109 mi east	11,000 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KJAX Jacksonville, FL	168 mi north-northeast	21,900 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 Lutz

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 269 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lutz, 25 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and June. The strongest was an F4 on April 4, 1966, which passed about 9 miles south-southeast of town and caused 11 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on September 25, 2025, which touched down about 23 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 195 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 7 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 Lutz'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.

Lutz radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lutz, FL?

KTBW (Tampa, FL), about 30 miles south. KMLB (Melbourne, FL) is 109 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Lutz?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Lutz the lowest scan from KTBW is about 1,900 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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