Cottonwood, OK Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Cottonwood, Coal County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Cottonwood?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged dangerous heat on 95 days in the Coal forecast zone and Coal County — the most common reported hazard around Cottonwood, mostly in August and July. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (36 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (22 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excessive heat | 95 | Jun 2026 | — |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 36 | Mar 2025 | Aug 3, 2003 · $100,000 damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 22 | Jan 2026 | Jan 12, 2007 · $248,000 damage |
| Flash flooding | 12 | Sep 2020 | — |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 9 | Feb 2025 | — |
| Ice storms & sleet | 5 | Jan 2010 | Dec 26, 2000 · $600,000 damage |
| High winds | 4 | Mar 2002 | — |
| Wildfires | 4 | Mar 2018 | — |
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 Coal forecast zone and Coal County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Cottonwood get?
A normal year brings about 3.2 inches of snow to Cottonwood, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Centrahoma 2 Ese weather station 7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (1.3 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 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 Cottonwood?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KTLX (Oklahoma City, OK), about 81 miles northwest. 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 Cottonwood | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KTLX Oklahoma City, OK | 81 mi northwest | 7,000 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KSRX Fort Smith, AR | 116 mi east-northeast | 12,100 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KINX Tulsa, OK | 118 mi north-northeast | 12,300 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 Cottonwood
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 107 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cottonwood, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F4 on May 9, 1959, which passed about 20 miles west-northwest of town and caused 7 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on June 3, 2025, which passed about 10 miles south of town.
Hail: 300 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 43 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on April 19, 2011.
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 Cottonwood'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.
Cottonwood radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Cottonwood, OK?
KTLX (Oklahoma City, OK), about 81 miles northwest. KSRX (Fort Smith, AR) is 116 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Cottonwood?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cottonwood the lowest scan from KTLX is about 7,000 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.
Is TALON's radar for Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Coalgate, OK radar 2 mi
- Atoka, OK radar 12 mi
- Caddo, OK radar 30 mi
- Ada, OK radar 30 mi
- Byng, OK radar 34 mi
- Tishomingo, OK radar 35 mi
- McAlester, OK radar 35 mi
- Krebs, OK radar 38 mi
- Holdenville, OK radar 38 mi
- Antlers, OK radar 40 mi