Rensselaer, NY Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Rensselaer, Rensselaer County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Rensselaer?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 181 days in the Western Rensselaer forecast zone and Rensselaer County — the most common reported hazard around Rensselaer, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (80 days) and excessive heat (62 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 181 | Jun 2026 | Jul 6, 1999 · $500,000 damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 80 | Jan 2026 | Mar 31, 1997 · $250,000 damage |
| Excessive heat | 62 | Jun 2026 | — |
| High winds | 38 | Jan 2024 | Sep 16, 1999 · $300,000 damage |
| Flash flooding | 37 | Jul 2023 | Aug 11, 2008 · $4.0 million damage |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 32 | Feb 2026 | — |
| Flooding | 26 | Dec 2023 | Jan 19, 1996 · $3.0 million damage |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 13 | Jun 2020 | May 13, 2000 · $70,000 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 Western Rensselaer forecast zone and Rensselaer County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Rensselaer get?
A normal year brings about 56 inches of snow to Rensselaer, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Albany Nwfo Univ weather station 5.9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (16.5 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 1.7 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 9.9 | 9.8 | 2.3 | 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 Rensselaer?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KENX (Albany, NY), about 17 miles west-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 Rensselaer | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KENX Albany, NY | 17 mi west-southwest | 1,000 ft | Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground |
| KBGM Binghamton, NY | 119 mi west-southwest | 12,600 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KTYX Montague, NY | 125 mi northwest | 13,500 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 Rensselaer
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 35 tornadoes within 25 miles of Rensselaer, 11 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and May. The strongest was an F4 on August 28, 1973, which passed about 22 miles southeast of town and caused 4 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on August 29, 2020, which touched down about 20 miles north of town.
Hail: 303 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 24 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-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 Rensselaer'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.
Rensselaer radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Rensselaer, NY?
KENX (Albany, NY), about 17 miles west-southwest. KBGM (Binghamton, NY) is 119 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Rensselaer?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Rensselaer the lowest scan from KENX is about 1,000 ft up.
Is TALON's radar for Rensselaer 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 Rensselaer, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Menands, NY radar 3 mi
- Albany, NY radar 4 mi
- Watervliet, NY radar 6 mi
- Troy, NY radar 7 mi
- Colonie, NY radar 7 mi
- Green Island, NY radar 7 mi
- Castleton-on-Hudson, NY radar 8 mi
- Cohoes, NY radar 9 mi
- Voorheesville, NY radar 10 mi
- Waterford, NY radar 10 mi