Jefferson, MD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for JeffersonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Jefferson?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 246 days in the Frederick forecast zone and Frederick County — the most common reported hazard around Jefferson, mostly in July and June. Next come flooding (93 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (82 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds246Jun 2026Jun 14, 2026 · $1.0 million damage
Flooding93May 2025Jan 19, 1996 · $15 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms82Feb 2026Dec 5, 2003 · 1 death
Flash flooding59Jul 2025Jun 27, 2006 · 5 deaths · $500,000 damage
Excessive heat45Jun 2025Jul 21, 2019 · 1 death
High winds34Feb 2026Dec 23, 2022 · 1 death
Lightning casualties & damage20Aug 2021Aug 11, 2021 · 1 death · $300,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill19Feb 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 Frederick forecast zone and Frederick County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Jefferson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLWX (Sterling, MD), about 27 miles south. 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 JeffersonView
KLWX
Sterling, MD		27 mi south1,600 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KCCX
State College, PA		110 mi north-northwest11,200 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KDOX
Dover AFB, DE		119 mi east-southeast12,500 ftLimited — 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 Jefferson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 100 tornadoes within 25 miles of Jefferson, 8 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F2 on November 16, 1989, which passed about 14 miles west of town. The most recent was an EF0 on June 5, 2024, which touched down about 21 miles west of town.

Hail: 297 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 16 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on May 26, 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 Jefferson'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.

Jefferson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Jefferson, MD?

KLWX (Sterling, MD), about 27 miles south. KCCX (State College, PA) is 110 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Jefferson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Jefferson the lowest scan from KLWX is about 1,600 ft up.

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

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