Tupelo, MS Live Doppler Radar

Watch storms move over Tupelo in real time — every NWS radar combined, storm tracks, official warnings, and the closest radar's full 250 m detail.

Open live radar for Tupelo What TALON shows

Which radars cover Tupelo?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar to Tupelo, MS is KGWX (Columbus AFB), about 33 miles to the southeast. Radar beams climb as they travel because the Earth curves away underneath them, so the height of the lowest scan over a city decides how much of a storm's base the radar can see.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Tupelo	View of low-level rotation
KGWX Columbus AFB, MS	33 mi southeast	2,100 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan is close to the ground, where tornadoes form
KNQA Memphis, TN	100 mi northwest	9,600 ft	Fair — the lowest scan is already well above the ground
KBMX Birmingham, AL	134 mi east-southeast	15,200 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms

Beam height is the center of the 0.5° scan above the radar, using standard atmospheric refraction. Hills and buildings near the radar can block it further.

On TALON you get Tupelo's live radar loop, storm tracks with arrival times and NWS warnings free; close-up radar and rotation detection are part of TALON Pro.

Tornado & hail history near Tupelo

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 125 tornadoes within 25 miles of Tupelo, 42 of them rated EF2/F2 or stronger. They have been most common in April and March. The strongest was an EF5 on April 27, 2011, which passed about 21 miles southeast of the city and caused 23 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on June 7, 2025, which passed about 25 miles southwest of the city.

Hail: 335 reports of hail 1 inch or larger within 25 miles of Tupelo since 1955, 26 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest was 3.00-inch hail (teacup size) on April 27, 2011.

Tornadoes since 1950	125
EF2/F2 or stronger	42
Strongest tornado	EF5 · Apr 2011
Busiest tornado month	April
Largest hail	3.00 in · Apr 2011

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database — tornadoes 1950–2025, hail 1955–2025 (the latest year is preliminary). Distances are to each tornado's recorded track; ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita (F) scale.

Tupelo radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Tupelo?

KGWX near Columbus AFB, MS, about 33 miles away. A second radar, KNQA (Memphis), is 100 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado over Tupelo?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it can see the rotating storm and, once a tornado is lofting debris, a debris signature. Over Tupelo the lowest scan from KGWX is roughly 2,100 ft up. Excellent — the lowest scan is close to the ground, where tornadoes form. TALON combines that with NOAA's ProbSevere model to flag storms most likely to produce tornadoes.

How often do tornadoes hit Tupelo?

NOAA records show 125 tornadoes within 25 miles of Tupelo since 1950 — about 1.6 a year on average, most often in April and March. Most were weak, but 42 were EF2/F2 or stronger.

Should I rely on radar for my safety?

No app replaces official warnings. When the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for Tupelo, take shelter right away — see watch vs. warning.