Aztec, NM Live Doppler Radar

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

What weather hits Aztec?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 43 days in the Northwest Plateau forecast zone and San Juan County — the most common reported hazard around Aztec, mostly in July and August. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (26 days) and high winds (14 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flash flooding43Oct 2025Aug 5, 2016 · 1 death · $50,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds26Jun 2026Aug 21, 2024 · $3.0 million damage
High winds14Feb 2026Apr 19, 2023 · $10,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage5Aug 2009Aug 2, 2003 · 1 death
Dust storms3Jul 2022—
Wildfires2May 2021May 16, 2021 · $300,000 damage
Excessive heat2Jul 2021Nov 11, 1998 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms2Nov 2024—

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 Northwest Plateau forecast zone and San Juan County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Aztec get?

A normal year brings about 11 inches of snow to Aztec, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Aztec Ruins Nm weather station 2.1 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (4.5 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.30.92.24.52.30.50.20.0

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

Which radars cover Aztec?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABX (Albuquerque, NM), about 132 miles south-southeast. 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 AztecView
KABX
Albuquerque, NM
132 mi south-southeast14,800 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KGJX
Grand Junction, CO
156 mi north19,300 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPUX
Pueblo, CO
236 mi east-northeast38,800 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 Aztec

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 12 tornadoes within 25 miles of Aztec, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and October. The strongest was an F2 on May 10, 1957, which touched down about 17 miles southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on March 21, 2020, which touched down about 21 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 19 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 1 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.00-inch hail on September 22, 2013.

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 Aztec'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.

Aztec radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Aztec, NM?

KABX (Albuquerque, NM), about 132 miles south-southeast. KGJX (Grand Junction, CO) is 156 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Aztec flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 43 days in the Northwest Plateau forecast zone and San Juan County; the deadliest was on August 5, 2016, with 1 death. TALON's free flash-flood risk layer shows, every 2 minutes, how close the rain that has fallen is to what it takes to flood — turn it on under Layers.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All New Mexico towns →