Ames, NY Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for AmesWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Ames?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 115 days in the Montgomery forecast zone and Montgomery County — the most common reported hazard around Ames, mostly in July and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (86 days) and flooding (63 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds115Jun 2026Sep 7, 1998 · $300,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms86Jan 2026Mar 31, 1997 · $200,000 damage
Flooding63Jun 2025Jan 19, 1996 · $4.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill47Feb 2026—
Excessive heat38Jul 2025—
Flash flooding35Sep 2021Jun 28, 2013 · 1 death
High winds31Apr 2024Dec 12, 2000 · $125,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage7Jun 2020Jun 10, 2008 · $20,000 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 Montgomery forecast zone and Montgomery County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Ames get?

A normal year brings about 54 inches of snow to Ames, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Cobleskill 2 Ese weather station 14.3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (13.7 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.41.713.113.710.712.41.50.0

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

Which radars cover Ames?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KENX (Albany, NY), about 32 miles east-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 AmesView
KENX
Albany, NY		32 mi east-southeast2,000 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KBGM
Binghamton, NY		83 mi west-southwest7,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KTYX
Montague, NY		83 mi northwest7,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Ames

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 30 tornadoes within 25 miles of Ames, 5 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an F4 on July 10, 1989, which passed about 4 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on October 7, 2020, which touched down about 4 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 153 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 11 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on May 22, 2014.

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 Ames'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.

Ames radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Ames, NY?

KENX (Albany, NY), about 32 miles east-southeast. KBGM (Binghamton, NY) is 83 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Ames?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Ames the lowest scan from KENX is about 2,000 ft up.

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

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