Cotton City, NM Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Cotton City What TALON shows

What weather hits Cotton City?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 27 days in the Lowlands of the Bootheel forecast zone and Hidalgo County — the most common reported hazard around Cotton City, mostly in July and August. Next come high winds (21 days) and flash flooding (8 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	27	Jun 2026	Aug 9, 2017 · 1 death · $50,000 damage
High winds	21	Apr 2025	—
Flash flooding	8	Aug 2025	—
Excessive heat	1	Jul 2023	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	1	Jan 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 Lowlands of the Bootheel forecast zone and Hidalgo County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Cotton City get?

A normal year brings about 3.6 inches of snow to Cotton City, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Animas 3Ese weather station 13.6 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (1.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.2	0.9	1.7	0.5	0.3	0.0	0.0

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

Which radars cover Cotton City?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 104 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Cotton City	View
KEMX Tucson, AZ	104 mi west	10,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KEPZ El Paso, TX	129 mi east	14,300 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KHDX Holloman AFB, NM	174 mi east-northeast	23,200 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 Cotton City

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 3 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cotton City. Most came in June and October. The strongest was an F1 on June 15, 1961, which touched down about 9 miles south-southeast of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on September 1, 2016, which touched down about 19 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 6 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on July 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 Cotton 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.

Cotton City radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cotton City, NM?

KEMX (Tucson, AZ), about 104 miles west. KEPZ (El Paso, TX) is 129 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Cotton City?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Cotton City the lowest scan from KEMX is about 10,100 ft up — limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms.

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

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