Gibson Flats, MT Live Doppler Radar

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

What weather hits Gibson Flats?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 96 days in the Cascade County below 5000ft forecast zone and Cascade County — the most common reported hazard around Gibson Flats, mostly in July and June. Next come high winds (39 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (16 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds96May 2026Jun 19, 2003 · $60,000 damage
High winds39Apr 2026Mar 8, 2026 · $20,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms16Apr 2026—
Flash flooding13Jul 2025Jun 19, 2003 · $250,000 damage
Flooding11May 2023May 17, 2023 · 2 deaths · $60,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill5Feb 2025—
Lightning casualties & damage4Aug 2019Aug 11, 2019 · $10,000 damage
Blizzards1Mar 2026—

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 Cascade County below 5000ft forecast zone and Cascade County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Gibson Flats get?

A normal year brings about 66 inches of snow to Gibson Flats, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Great Falls Intl Ap weather station 6.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (10.1 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
5.29.29.69.210.110.19.41.9

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

Which radars cover Gibson Flats?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KTFX (Great Falls, MT), about 7 miles west. 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 Gibson FlatsView
KTFX
Great Falls, MT
7 mi west300 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMSX
Missoula, MT
132 mi west-southwest14,800 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBLX
Billings, MT
167 mi southeast21,700 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 Gibson Flats

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 17 tornadoes within 25 miles of Gibson Flats. Most came in July and June. The strongest was an F1 on July 2, 1964, which passed about 13 miles northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on June 23, 2018, which touched down about 23 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 150 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 14 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on July 7, 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 Gibson Flats'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.

Gibson Flats radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Gibson Flats, MT?

KTFX (Great Falls, MT), about 7 miles west. KMSX (Missoula, MT) is 132 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Gibson Flats?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Gibson Flats the lowest scan from KTFX is about 300 ft up.

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

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