Empire, OH Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for EmpireWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Empire?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 140 days in the Jefferson forecast zone and Jefferson County — the most common reported hazard around Empire, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (28 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (24 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds140Jun 2026Jun 13, 2008 · 1 death · $15,000 damage
Flash flooding28Apr 2024Jun 29, 1998 · $5.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms24Jan 2026Jan 13, 1999 · $5,000 damage
High winds17Mar 2026Sep 14, 2008 · $500,000 damage
Flooding13Jun 2018Sep 17, 2004 · $1.3 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill7Jan 2025—
Ice storms & sleet6Feb 2022—
Lightning casualties & damage1Jun 2023Jun 15, 2023 · $10,000 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 Jefferson forecast zone and Jefferson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Empire?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KPBZ (Pittsburgh, PA), about 21 miles east. 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 EmpireView
KPBZ
Pittsburgh, PA		21 mi east1,200 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KCLE
Cleveland, OH		90 mi northwest8,100 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCCX
State College, PA		140 mi east-northeast16,300 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 Empire

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 47 tornadoes within 25 miles of Empire, 9 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and June. The strongest was an F3 on May 31, 1985, which passed about 23 miles north-northeast of town and caused 9 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 21, 2025, which touched down about 22 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 236 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 12 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on May 14, 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 Empire'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.

Empire radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Empire, OH?

KPBZ (Pittsburgh, PA), about 21 miles east. KCLE (Cleveland, OH) is 90 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Empire?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Empire the lowest scan from KPBZ is about 1,200 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Ohio towns →