Sparks, GA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Sparks What TALON shows

What weather hits Sparks?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 58 days in the Cook forecast zone and Cook County — the most common reported hazard around Sparks, mostly in July and June. Next come hurricanes & tropical storms (12 days) and flash flooding (9 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	58	May 2026	Jun 25, 1998 · $175,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	12	Sep 2024	Sep 26, 2024 · $150 million damage
Flash flooding	9	May 2025	May 19, 2004 · $5,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	6	Jun 2022	Jun 18, 2009 · $50,000 damage
Excessive heat	4	Aug 2023	—
Flooding	2	Feb 2013	Mar 8, 1998 · $300,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	2	Jan 2025	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	1	Feb 2026	—

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

Which radars cover Sparks?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KVAX (Moody AFB, GA), about 32 miles southeast. 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 Sparks	View
KVAX Moody AFB, GA	32 mi southeast	2,000 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KTLH Tallahassee, FL	75 mi southwest	6,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KJGX Robins AFB, GA	104 mi north	10,200 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 Sparks

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 97 tornadoes within 25 miles of Sparks, 15 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and June. The strongest was an EF3 on January 22, 2017, which passed about 7 miles south-southeast of town and caused 11 deaths. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on September 25, 2024, which touched down about 13 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 121 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 11 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on May 3, 1998.

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 Sparks'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.

Sparks radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Sparks, GA?

KVAX (Moody AFB, GA), about 32 miles southeast. KTLH (Tallahassee, FL) is 75 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Sparks?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Sparks the lowest scan from KVAX is about 2,000 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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