Bristol, GA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Bristol What TALON shows

What weather hits Bristol?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 71 days in the Pierce forecast zone and Pierce County — the most common reported hazard around Bristol, mostly in June and May. Next come hurricanes & tropical storms (7 days) and lightning casualties & damage (7 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	71	May 2026	Oct 21, 2002 · $100,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	7	Sep 2024	Sep 27, 2024 · 1 death
Lightning casualties & damage	7	Jun 2022	Aug 17, 2010 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding	4	Jun 2026	Sep 29, 1998 · $10,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	3	Jan 2025	—
Flooding	2	Apr 2009	Mar 1, 1998 · $25,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	1	Jan 2014	—

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

Which radars cover Bristol?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KVAX (Moody AFB, GA), about 61 miles 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Bristol	View
KVAX Moody AFB, GA	61 mi southwest	4,600 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KJAX Jacksonville, FL	73 mi south-southeast	6,100 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KJGX Robins AFB, GA	108 mi northwest	10,700 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 Bristol

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 80 tornadoes within 25 miles of Bristol, 13 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an F3 on November 18, 1968, which touched down about 20 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on April 7, 2025, which touched down about 17 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 101 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 7 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on March 20, 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 Bristol'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.

Bristol radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Bristol, GA?

KVAX (Moody AFB, GA), about 61 miles southwest. KJAX (Jacksonville, FL) is 73 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Bristol?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Bristol the lowest scan from KVAX is about 4,600 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

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