Velarde, NM Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Velarde What TALON shows

What weather hits Velarde?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 34 days in the Espanola Valley forecast zone and Rio Arriba County — the most common reported hazard around Velarde, mostly in July and August. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (18 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (10 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Flash flooding	34	Aug 2025	Aug 15, 2006 · 1 death
Damaging thunderstorm winds	18	Jun 2024	Aug 3, 2017 · $50,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	10	Jan 2026	—
Lightning casualties & damage	7	Aug 2015	Aug 1, 2015 · 1 death · $3,000 damage
Wildfires	3	Apr 2026	Apr 24, 2026 · $500,000 damage
Flooding	2	May 2023	May 2, 2023 · $300,000 damage
High winds	1	Apr 2022	Apr 22, 2022 · $25,000 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 Espanola Valley forecast zone and Rio Arriba County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Velarde get?

A normal year brings about 11 inches of snow to Velarde, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Alcalde weather station 7.2 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (3.3 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.6	1.4	3.3	2.2	1.5	1.4	0.3	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 Velarde?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABX (Albuquerque, NM), about 85 miles southwest. 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 Velarde	View
KABX Albuquerque, NM	85 mi southwest	7,500 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFDX Cannon AFB, NM	169 mi southeast	22,000 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPUX Pueblo, CO	187 mi north-northeast	26,000 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 Velarde

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 1 tornado within 25 miles of Velarde. The strongest was an F1 on December 26, 1966, which touched down about 20 miles south of town.

Hail: 13 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.50-inch hail on June 5, 1978.

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 Velarde'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.

Velarde radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Velarde, NM?

KABX (Albuquerque, NM), about 85 miles southwest. KFDX (Cannon AFB, NM) is 169 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Velarde?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Velarde the lowest scan from KABX is about 7,500 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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