Alpha, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for AlphaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Alpha?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 84 days in the Iron forecast zone and Iron County — the most common reported hazard around Alpha, mostly in February and April. Next come extreme cold & wind chill (51 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (50 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms84Apr 2026Jan 24, 1997 · $600,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill51Jan 2026Jan 15, 2019 · 1 death
Damaging thunderstorm winds50Jul 2025Aug 9, 2020 · $150,000 damage
Flooding9Apr 2026Apr 13, 2023 · $3.1 million damage
High winds7Nov 2024Nov 11, 1998 · $2.0 million damage
Ice storms & sleet6Apr 2026Mar 22, 2022 · $5,000 damage
Excessive heat5Jul 2025—
Blizzards4Mar 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 Iron forecast zone and Iron County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Alpha get?

A normal year brings about 66 inches of snow to Alpha, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Florence weather station 9.6 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (14.3 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
1.35.612.214.313.99.48.60.3

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

Which radars cover Alpha?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMQT (Marquette, MI), about 52 miles northeast. 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 AlphaView
KMQT
Marquette, MI		52 mi northeast3,700 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KGRB
Green Bay, WI		108 mi south10,700 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KDLH
Duluth, MN		191 mi west-northwest26,900 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 Alpha

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 14 tornadoes within 25 miles of Alpha, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and August. The strongest was an EF2 on April 10, 2011, which passed about 24 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF1 on August 9, 2020, which passed about 13 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 79 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 5 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on June 9, 2000.

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 Alpha'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.

Alpha radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Alpha, MI?

KMQT (Marquette, MI), about 52 miles northeast. KGRB (Green Bay, WI) is 108 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Alpha?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Alpha the lowest scan from KMQT is about 3,700 ft up.

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

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