Ithaca, NY Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Ithaca What TALON shows

What weather hits Ithaca?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 113 days in the Tompkins forecast zone and Tompkins County — the most common reported hazard around Ithaca, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (71 days) and flash flooding (22 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	113	Jun 2026	Aug 29, 2003 · $400,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	71	Jan 2026	Mar 6, 1996 · 2 deaths
Flash flooding	22	Mar 2026	Jan 19, 1996 · $19 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	14	Jan 2022	Jan 10, 2004 · $10,000 damage
High winds	8	Feb 2011	Nov 13, 2003 · $120,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	7	Mar 2008	Jan 1, 2003 · $100,000 damage
Flooding	6	Apr 2020	Jan 29, 2005 · $100,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	6	Jun 2020	Jun 29, 2005 · $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 Tompkins forecast zone and Tompkins County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Ithaca get?

A normal year brings about 63 inches of snow to Ithaca, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Ithaca Cornell Univ weather station 2.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (16.6 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.2	4.6	12.2	16.6	14.5	12.0	2.8	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 Ithaca?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBGM (Binghamton, NY), about 31 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Ithaca	View
KBGM Binghamton, NY	31 mi east-southeast	1,900 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KTYX Montague, NY	100 mi north-northeast	9,600 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KBUF Buffalo, NY	119 mi west-northwest	12,500 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 Ithaca

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 22 tornadoes within 25 miles of Ithaca, 3 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and June. The strongest was an F3 on August 30, 1955, which touched down about 23 miles west-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 15, 2024, which passed about 14 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 141 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 5 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.00-inch hail on May 3, 2012.

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 Ithaca'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.

Ithaca radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Ithaca, NY?

KBGM (Binghamton, NY), about 31 miles east-southeast. KTYX (Montague, NY) is 100 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Ithaca?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Ithaca the lowest scan from KBGM is about 1,900 ft up.

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

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