Alpena, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Alpena What TALON shows

What weather hits Alpena?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 76 days in the Alpena forecast zone and Alpena County — the most common reported hazard around Alpena, mostly in December and February. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (35 days) and high winds (10 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	76	Mar 2026	Mar 2, 2012 · $100,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	35	Jul 2024	Jul 18, 2005 · $35,000 damage
High winds	10	Dec 2021	Dec 16, 2021 · $25,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	6	Feb 2026	—
Ice storms & sleet	5	Mar 2026	—
Blizzards	3	Jan 1999	—
Flooding	2	Oct 2019	Oct 21, 2019 · $8,000 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 Alpena forecast zone and Alpena County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Alpena get?

A normal year brings about 59 inches of snow to Alpena, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Alpena Wwtp weather station 1.2 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (16.6 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.1	3.0	16.6	15.6	14.4	6.2	3.5	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 Alpena?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KAPX (Gaylord, MI), about 63 miles west. 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 Alpena	View
KAPX Gaylord, MI	63 mi west	4,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDTX Detroit, MI	164 mi south	21,000 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KGRR Grand Rapids, MI	183 mi southwest	25,300 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 Alpena

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 20 tornadoes within 25 miles of Alpena, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F3 on June 8, 1953, which touched down about 18 miles south of town. The most recent was an EF1 on June 22, 2008, which touched down about 22 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 44 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on May 20, 2022.

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 Alpena'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.

Alpena radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Alpena, MI?

KAPX (Gaylord, MI), about 63 miles west. KDTX (Detroit, MI) is 164 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Alpena?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Alpena the lowest scan from KAPX is about 4,900 ft up.

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

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