Ideal, GA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Ideal What TALON shows

What weather hits Ideal?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 65 days in the Macon forecast zone and Macon County — the most common reported hazard around Ideal, mostly in June and July. Next come hurricanes & tropical storms (16 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (13 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	65	Mar 2026	Jul 23, 2008 · $275,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	16	Oct 2020	Sep 11, 2017 · $200,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	13	Jan 2003	—
Excessive heat	11	Jul 2012	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	5	Jan 2026	Jan 28, 2005 · $100,000 damage
Flooding	4	Dec 2009	Mar 8, 1998 · $5,000 damage
Flash flooding	4	Sep 2020	Mar 27, 2005 · $150,000 damage
High winds	2	Sep 2004	Sep 6, 2004 · $50,000 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 Macon forecast zone and Macon County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Ideal?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KJGX (Robins AFB, GA), about 53 miles east-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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Ideal	View
KJGX Robins AFB, GA	53 mi east-northeast	3,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KFFC Atlanta, GA	72 mi north-northwest	5,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMXX Maxwell AFB, AL	94 mi west	8,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Ideal

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 74 tornadoes within 25 miles of Ideal, 28 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an F3 on March 13, 1954, which passed about 15 miles north-northwest of town and caused 5 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on April 5, 2022, which passed about 17 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 83 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 2 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on December 28, 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 Ideal'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.

Ideal radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Ideal, GA?

KJGX (Robins AFB, GA), about 53 miles east-northeast. KFFC (Atlanta, GA) is 72 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Ideal?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Ideal the lowest scan from KJGX is about 3,900 ft up.

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

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