Chatham, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for ChathamWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Chatham?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 209 days in the Alger forecast zone and Alger County — the most common reported hazard around Chatham, mostly in January and December. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (34 days) and blizzards (31 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms209Mar 2026May 1, 2023 · $500,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds34Jun 2026Jun 10, 2000 · $100,000 damage
Blizzards31Mar 2026Apr 4, 2007 · $2,000 damage
High winds27Nov 2024Nov 10, 1998 · $1.1 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill20Jan 2026—
Ice storms & sleet7Apr 2026—
Excessive heat7Jun 2026—
Flooding4May 2023May 5, 2023 · $1.0 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 Alger forecast zone and Alger County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Chatham get?

A normal year brings about 164 inches of snow to Chatham, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Chatham Exp Farm 2 weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually January (45.6 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
2.518.936.345.629.718.611.80.6

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

Which radars cover Chatham?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMQT (Marquette, MI), about 32 miles west-northwest. 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 ChathamView
KMQT
Marquette, MI		32 mi west-northwest2,000 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KGRB
Green Bay, WI		140 mi south-southwest16,200 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KAPX
Gaylord, MI		146 mi southeast17,400 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 Chatham

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 10 tornadoes within 25 miles of Chatham, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and August. The strongest was an F2 on July 20, 1972, which touched down about 22 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was an F0 on July 28, 2005, which touched down about 15 miles northeast of town.

Hail: 81 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 6 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on July 19, 1978.

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 Chatham'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.

Chatham radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Chatham, MI?

KMQT (Marquette, MI), about 32 miles west-northwest. KGRB (Green Bay, WI) is 140 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Chatham?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Chatham the lowest scan from KMQT is about 2,000 ft up.

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

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