Portage, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Portage What TALON shows

What weather hits Portage?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 114 days in the Kalamazoo forecast zone and Kalamazoo County — the most common reported hazard around Portage, mostly in June and August. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (83 days) and high winds (10 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	114	Jun 2026	Jun 13, 2022 · $2.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	83	Jan 2026	Feb 24, 2016 · $25,000 damage
High winds	10	Dec 2021	Mar 8, 2017 · $13 million damage
Flooding	7	May 2020	Sep 13, 2008 · $11 million damage
Flash flooding	7	Jun 2010	Aug 23, 2002 · $210,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	4	Feb 2023	Feb 22, 2023 · $250,000 damage
Blizzards	4	Dec 2022	—
Lightning casualties & damage	3	Apr 2011	Sep 19, 1997 · $20,000 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 Kalamazoo forecast zone and Kalamazoo County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Portage?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGRR (Grand Rapids, MI), about 48 miles north. 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 Portage	View
KGRR Grand Rapids, MI	48 mi north	3,400 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KIWX Fort Wayne, IN	58 mi south	4,400 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDTX Detroit, MI	114 mi east-northeast	11,700 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 Portage

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 75 tornadoes within 25 miles of Portage, 20 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and July. The strongest was an F4 on April 2, 1977, which passed about 6 miles north-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on May 15, 2025, which passed about 23 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 139 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 23 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on March 27, 1991.

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 Portage'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.

Portage radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Portage, MI?

KGRR (Grand Rapids, MI), about 48 miles north. KIWX (Fort Wayne, IN) is 58 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Portage?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Portage the lowest scan from KGRR is about 3,400 ft up.

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

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