Townsend, MT Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Townsend What TALON shows

What weather hits Townsend?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 34 days in the Canyon Ferry Area forecast zone and Broadwater County — the most common reported hazard around Townsend, mostly in July and August. Next come high winds (7 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (3 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	34	May 2026	—
High winds	7	May 2026	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	3	Feb 2025	—
Flooding	3	Jun 2018	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	2	Jan 2024	—
Flash flooding	2	Jun 2023	Jun 10, 2023 · $100,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	1	Dec 2025	—
Lightning casualties & damage	1	May 2007	May 18, 2007 · 1 death

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 Canyon Ferry Area forecast zone and Broadwater County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Townsend get?

A normal year brings about 24 inches of snow to Townsend, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Townsend 3Se weather station 3.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (4.4 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
1.4	3.9	4.4	4.4	3.2	4.0	2.3	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 Townsend?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KTFX (Great Falls, MT), about 79 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 Townsend	View
KTFX Great Falls, MT	79 mi north	6,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMSX Missoula, MT	127 mi west-northwest	13,900 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBLX Billings, MT	143 mi east-southeast	16,900 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 Townsend

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 2 tornadoes within 25 miles of Townsend. The strongest was an F0 on June 15, 1996, which touched down about 19 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 36 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 4 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.00-inch hail on August 10, 2019.

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 Townsend'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.

Townsend radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Townsend, MT?

KTFX (Great Falls, MT), about 79 miles north. KMSX (Missoula, MT) is 127 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Townsend?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Townsend the lowest scan from KTFX is about 6,800 ft up — fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation.

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

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