Big Bay, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Big Bay What TALON shows

What weather hits Big Bay?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 185 days in the Marquette forecast zone and Marquette County — the most common reported hazard around Big Bay, mostly in February and January. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (83 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (38 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	185	Apr 2026	Feb 7, 2017 · 1 death
Damaging thunderstorm winds	83	Jun 2026	Apr 10, 2017 · $1.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	38	Jan 2026	—
Flooding	26	Apr 2026	Oct 24, 2017 · 2 deaths · $600,000 damage
High winds	26	Nov 2024	Mar 7, 2017 · $1.0 million damage
Blizzards	19	Mar 2026	Feb 24, 2019 · $1.0 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	10	Jun 2025	Oct 5, 2024 · $50,000 damage
Flash flooding	9	May 2022	May 12, 2022 · $3.0 million damage

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

How much snow does Big Bay get?

A normal year brings about 132 inches of snow to Big Bay, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Big Bay 1Nw weather station 2.3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (32.2 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
1.3	18.1	26.5	32.2	28.7	11.6	12.8	1.1

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

Which radars cover Big Bay?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMQT (Marquette, MI), about 21 miles south-southeast. 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 Big Bay	View
KMQT Marquette, MI	21 mi south-southeast	1,200 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KGRB Green Bay, WI	161 mi south	20,500 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KAPX Gaylord, MI	195 mi southeast	28,100 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 Big Bay

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 2 tornadoes within 25 miles of Big Bay. The strongest was an EF1 on June 8, 2012, which passed about 9 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 69 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 1 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on May 14, 2007.

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 Big Bay'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.

Big Bay radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Big Bay, MI?

KMQT (Marquette, MI), about 21 miles south-southeast. KGRB (Green Bay, WI) is 161 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Big Bay?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Big Bay the lowest scan from KMQT is about 1,200 ft up.

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

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