Alma, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Alma What TALON shows

What weather hits Alma?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 53 days in the Gratiot forecast zone and Gratiot County — the most common reported hazard around Alma, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (49 days) and high winds (8 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	53	Jun 2026	May 31, 1998 · $610,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	49	Nov 2025	Apr 14, 2018 · $100,000 damage
High winds	8	Feb 2019	Mar 8, 2017 · $10 million damage
Flooding	6	May 2020	Apr 17, 2013 · $3.0 million damage
Flash flooding	5	Jul 2011	May 18, 2000 · $150,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	4	Dec 2015	Feb 16, 2006 · $1.0 million damage
Blizzards	1	Jan 1999	—
Excessive heat	1	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 Gratiot forecast zone and Gratiot County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Alma get?

A normal year brings about 39 inches of snow to Alma, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Alma weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually January (10.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.3	2.7	8.2	10.7	9.9	5.4	2.1	0.0

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

Which radars cover Alma?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGRR (Grand Rapids, MI), about 56 miles southwest. 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 Alma	View
KGRR Grand Rapids, MI	56 mi southwest	4,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDTX Detroit, MI	76 mi southeast	6,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KAPX Gaylord, MI	105 mi north	10,400 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 Alma

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 47 tornadoes within 25 miles of Alma, 15 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F2 on May 12, 1956, which passed about 8 miles southeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on May 15, 2025, which touched down about 25 miles east-southeast of town.

Hail: 96 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 6 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.50-inch hail on September 12, 2021.

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 Alma'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.

Alma radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Alma, MI?

KGRR (Grand Rapids, MI), about 56 miles southwest. KDTX (Detroit, MI) is 76 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Alma?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Alma the lowest scan from KGRR is about 4,200 ft up.

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

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