Alanson, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Alanson What TALON shows

What weather hits Alanson?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 123 days in the Emmet forecast zone and Emmet County — the most common reported hazard around Alanson, mostly in December and January. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (29 days) and high winds (15 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	123	Mar 2026	Mar 2, 2012 · $200,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	29	Aug 2021	Jul 18, 2020 · $135,000 damage
High winds	15	Dec 2021	Sep 4, 2014 · $65,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	8	Feb 2026	—
Ice storms & sleet	6	Mar 2026	—
Blizzards	6	Dec 2022	—
Flooding	3	Sep 2022	Apr 13, 2020 · $150,000 damage
Excessive heat	2	Jun 2018	—

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

How much snow does Alanson get?

A normal year brings about 120 inches of snow to Alanson, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Petoskey Ncmc weather station 9.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (34.6 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.4	11.5	33.6	34.6	20.4	13.1	6.4	0.2

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

Which radars cover Alanson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KAPX (Gaylord, MI), about 37 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Alanson	View
KAPX Gaylord, MI	37 mi south	2,400 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMQT Marquette, MI	152 mi west-northwest	18,600 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KGRB Green Bay, WI	175 mi west-southwest	23,400 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 Alanson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 15 tornadoes within 25 miles of Alanson, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and June. The strongest was an F2 on July 31, 1977, which passed about 22 miles south of town. The most recent was an EF0 on September 1, 2014, which touched down about 19 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 26 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 2 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.50-inch hail on June 24, 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 Alanson'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.

Alanson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Alanson, MI?

KAPX (Gaylord, MI), about 37 miles south. KMQT (Marquette, MI) is 152 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Alanson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Alanson the lowest scan from KAPX is about 2,400 ft up.

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

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