Tower, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Tower What TALON shows

What weather hits Tower?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 102 days in the Cheboygan forecast zone and Cheboygan County — the most common reported hazard around Tower, mostly in December and January. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (30 days) and high winds (10 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	102	Mar 2026	Dec 28, 2025 · 1 death
Damaging thunderstorm winds	30	Jul 2025	Jul 19, 2020 · $100,000 damage
High winds	10	Mar 2025	Nov 13, 2005 · $30,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	8	Feb 2026	—
Blizzards	6	Dec 2022	—
Ice storms & sleet	5	Mar 2025	—
Flooding	3	Jul 2024	Apr 27, 2011 · $25,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	3	Aug 2015	Aug 26, 2003 · $75,000 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 Cheboygan forecast zone and Cheboygan County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Tower get?

A normal year brings about 87 inches of snow to Tower, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Onaway 4N weather station 5.3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (21.6 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.7	7.3	21.6	21.3	17.7	11.3	6.9	0.1

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

Which radars cover Tower?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KAPX (Gaylord, MI), about 37 miles southwest. 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 Tower	View
KAPX Gaylord, MI	37 mi southwest	2,400 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMQT Marquette, MI	176 mi west-northwest	23,700 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KGRR Grand Rapids, MI	181 mi south-southwest	24,700 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 Tower

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 14 tornadoes within 25 miles of Tower, 3 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and July. The strongest was an EF3 on May 20, 2022, which passed about 24 miles south-southwest of town and caused 2 deaths.

Hail: 23 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 2 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.00-inch hail on May 20, 2022.

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 Tower'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.

Tower radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Tower, MI?

KAPX (Gaylord, MI), about 37 miles southwest. KMQT (Marquette, MI) is 176 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Tower?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Tower the lowest scan from KAPX is about 2,400 ft up.

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

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