Barbourville, KY Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Barbourville What TALON shows

What weather hits Barbourville?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 98 days in the Knox forecast zone and Knox County — the most common reported hazard around Barbourville, mostly in May and July. Next come flash flooding (37 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (33 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	98	Mar 2026	Jul 28, 2008 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding	37	Feb 2021	Jun 20, 2011 · 1 death · $25,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	33	Jan 2026	—
Flooding	26	May 2022	Sep 17, 2004 · 1 death · $103,000 damage
Excessive heat	7	Aug 2010	—
High winds	5	Sep 2024	Mar 31, 2022 · $44,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	5	Feb 2021	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	1	Feb 2015	Feb 19, 2015 · 1 death

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

Which radars cover Barbourville?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMRX (Knoxville, TN), about 55 miles south-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 Barbourville	View
KMRX Knoxville, TN	55 mi south-southeast	4,100 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KJKL Jackson, KY	59 mi north-northeast	4,500 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLVX Louisville, KY	137 mi northwest	15,600 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 Barbourville

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 33 tornadoes within 25 miles of Barbourville, 10 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an EF4 on May 16, 2025, which passed about 16 miles north-northwest of town and caused 18 deaths.

Hail: 190 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 19 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 1, 2002.

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 Barbourville'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.

Barbourville radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Barbourville, KY?

KMRX (Knoxville, TN), about 55 miles south-southeast. KJKL (Jackson, KY) is 59 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Barbourville?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Barbourville the lowest scan from KMRX is about 4,100 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Kentucky towns →