Jefferson City, MT Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Jefferson CityWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Jefferson City?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 15 days in the Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains forecast zone and Jefferson County — the most common reported hazard around Jefferson City, mostly in April and October. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (11 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (8 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms15Mar 2026—
Damaging thunderstorm winds11Sep 2025—
Extreme cold & wind chill8Feb 2025—
Wildfires6Nov 2024—
High winds6Apr 2026—
Flash flooding3Jun 2023Jun 27, 2023 · $100,000 damage
Flooding3Jul 2025—

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 Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains forecast zone and Jefferson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Jefferson City?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KTFX (Great Falls, MT), about 81 miles north-northeast. 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 Jefferson CityView
KTFX
Great Falls, MT		81 mi north-northeast7,000 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMSX
Missoula, MT		103 mi west-northwest10,100 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBLX
Billings, MT		168 mi east21,800 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 Jefferson City

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 5 tornadoes within 25 miles of Jefferson City. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F0 on July 22, 1960, which touched down about 15 miles north of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on August 6, 2023, which passed about 18 miles south of town.

Hail: 91 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 10 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on June 6, 1997.

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 Jefferson City'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.

Jefferson City radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Jefferson City, MT?

KTFX (Great Falls, MT), about 81 miles north-northeast. KMSX (Missoula, MT) is 103 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Jefferson City?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Jefferson City the lowest scan from KTFX is about 7,000 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Montana towns →