Merrill, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Merrill What TALON shows

What weather hits Merrill?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 120 days in the Saginaw forecast zone and Saginaw County — the most common reported hazard around Merrill, mostly in July and August. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (56 days) and high winds (34 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	120	Jun 2026	May 31, 1998 · $1.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	56	Dec 2025	Apr 14, 2018 · $2.0 million damage
High winds	34	Nov 2022	Mar 8, 2017 · $23 million damage
Flooding	30	May 2020	May 18, 2020 · $9.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	15	Jan 2026	Dec 30, 1998 · $500,000 damage
Excessive heat	14	Jun 2026	—
Ice storms & sleet	11	Jan 2020	Dec 21, 2013 · $3.0 million damage
Flash flooding	7	Aug 2014	Jun 21, 1996 · $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 Saginaw forecast zone and Saginaw County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Merrill?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDTX (Detroit, MI), about 66 miles 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 Merrill	View
KDTX Detroit, MI	66 mi southeast	5,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KGRR Grand Rapids, MI	71 mi west-southwest	5,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
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 Merrill

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 58 tornadoes within 25 miles of Merrill, 17 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F3 on June 12, 1984, which passed about 23 miles east-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on May 15, 2025, which touched down about 11 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 157 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 16 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on September 2, 1984.

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 Merrill'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.

Merrill radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Merrill, MI?

KDTX (Detroit, MI), about 66 miles southeast. KGRR (Grand Rapids, MI) is 71 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Merrill?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Merrill the lowest scan from KDTX is about 5,200 ft up.

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

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