Bluewater, NM Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Bluewater What TALON shows

What weather hits Bluewater?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 42 days in the West Central Mountains forecast zone and McKinley County — the most common reported hazard around Bluewater, mostly in July and August. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (19 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (13 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Flash flooding	42	Sep 2025	Jul 11, 2008 · 3 deaths · $40,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	19	Jun 2026	Dec 15, 2021 · $150,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	13	Jan 2026	Jan 4, 2024 · $50,000 damage
High winds	8	Apr 2025	Mar 18, 2025 · $20,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	2	Jan 2025	Dec 27, 1997 · 1 death
Lightning casualties & damage	1	Aug 1997	—
Flooding	1	Sep 2013	Sep 13, 2013 · $100,000 damage

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 West Central Mountains forecast zone and McKinley County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Bluewater get?

A normal year brings about 31 inches of snow to Bluewater, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Thoreau 12 Se weather station 3.6 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (8.9 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
1.1	3.4	6.5	8.9	5.9	2.3	1.4	1.1

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

Which radars cover Bluewater?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABX (Albuquerque, NM), about 79 miles east. 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 Bluewater	View
KABX Albuquerque, NM	79 mi east	6,700 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFSX Flagstaff, AZ	177 mi west-southwest	23,900 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KHDX Holloman AFB, NM	196 mi southeast	28,200 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 Bluewater

NOAA has no tornado on record within 25 miles of Bluewater since 1950.

Hail: 8 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on August 10, 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 Bluewater'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.

Bluewater radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Bluewater, NM?

KABX (Albuquerque, NM), about 79 miles east. KFSX (Flagstaff, AZ) is 177 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Bluewater?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Bluewater the lowest scan from KABX is about 6,700 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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