White Sands, NM Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for White Sands, Dona Ana County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for White SandsWhat TALON shows

What weather hits White Sands?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 76 days in the West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands forecast zone and Dona Ana County — the most common reported hazard around White Sands, mostly in July and August. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (69 days) and high winds (16 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flash flooding76Jun 2026Aug 15, 2006 · $4.5 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds69Jun 2026Aug 23, 2020 · $100,000 damage
High winds16Apr 2026Mar 14, 2025 · $20,000 damage
Flooding7Jan 2017Sep 4, 2006 · $50,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill1Jan 2025—
Dust storms1Apr 2025—
Lightning casualties & damage1Aug 2014—

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 Tularosa Basin/White Sands forecast zone and Dona Ana County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover White Sands?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KEPZ (El Paso, TX), about 37 miles south-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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over White SandsView
KEPZ
El Paso, TX		37 mi south-southwest2,400 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KHDX
Holloman AFB, NM		52 mi north-northeast3,800 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KABX
Albuquerque, NM		192 mi north27,400 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 White Sands

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 9 tornadoes within 25 miles of White Sands. Most came in September and August. The strongest was an F1 on July 29, 1959, which touched down about 23 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on May 2, 2007, which passed about 8 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 63 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 4 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.25-inch hail on June 15, 1969.

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 White Sands'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.

White Sands radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to White Sands, NM?

KEPZ (El Paso, TX), about 37 miles south-southwest. KHDX (Holloman AFB, NM) is 52 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does White Sands flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged flash flooding on 76 days in the West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands forecast zone and Dona Ana County. 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 White Sands 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 White Sands, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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