Jenkins, KY Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for JenkinsWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Jenkins?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 84 days in the Letcher forecast zone and Letcher County — the most common reported hazard around Jenkins, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (73 days) and flash flooding (38 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds84Dec 2025May 8, 2009 · $50,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms73Mar 2026Mar 14, 1999 · $3,000 damage
Flash flooding38Aug 2022Jul 28, 2022 · 3 deaths
Flooding25May 2025Feb 6, 2020 · $350,000 damage
High winds8Sep 2024Apr 1, 2023 · $21,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet4Feb 2021—
Debris flows2Dec 2018Dec 21, 2018 · $500 damage
Excessive heat2Aug 2010—

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

How much snow does Jenkins get?

A normal year brings about 38 inches of snow to Jenkins, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Clintwood 1W weather station 8.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (11.5 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.31.17.611.510.56.60.80.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Jenkins?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KJKL (Jackson, KY), about 47 miles northwest. 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over JenkinsView
KJKL
Jackson, KY		47 mi northwest3,200 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMRX
Knoxville, TN		81 mi south-southwest7,000 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KRLX
Charleston, WV		94 mi north-northeast8,700 ftFair — 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 Jenkins

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 9 tornadoes within 25 miles of Jenkins, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an F2 on May 18, 1995, which passed about 21 miles northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on April 9, 2011, which touched down about 16 miles south of town.

Hail: 146 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on April 9, 2011.

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 Jenkins'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.

Jenkins radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Jenkins, KY?

KJKL (Jackson, KY), about 47 miles northwest. KMRX (Knoxville, TN) is 81 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Jenkins?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Jenkins the lowest scan from KJKL is about 3,200 ft up.

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

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