Black Butte Ranch, OR Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Black Butte Ranch, Deschutes County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for Black Butte RanchWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Black Butte Ranch?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 65 days in the East Slopes of the Oregon Cascades forecast zone and Deschutes County — the most common reported hazard around Black Butte Ranch, mostly in December and February. Next come wildfires (24 days) and lightning casualties & damage (18 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms65Apr 2026—
Wildfires24Oct 2020Aug 1, 2013 · 1 death
Lightning casualties & damage18Aug 2019Jun 29, 1997 · $1.5 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds18Aug 2025Jul 29, 1998 · $200,000 damage
High winds17Nov 2022Nov 19, 2012 · $120,000 damage
Flash flooding8May 2015Jul 17, 2000 · $10,000 damage
Flooding6Jun 2021Jul 1, 2019 · $6,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill3Dec 2013—

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 East Slopes of the Oregon Cascades forecast zone and Deschutes County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Black Butte Ranch?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRTX (Portland, OR), about 113 miles north-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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over Black Butte RanchView
KRTX
Portland, OR		113 mi north-northwest11,600 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPDT
Pendleton, OR		165 mi northeast21,300 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMAX
Medford, OR		166 mi south-southwest21,500 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 Black Butte Ranch

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 3 tornadoes within 25 miles of Black Butte Ranch. Most came in June and September. The strongest was an F0 on September 3, 1997, which touched down about 22 miles southeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 28, 2025, which touched down about 21 miles east of town.

Hail: 37 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 3 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.00-inch hail on May 30, 2020.

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 Black Butte Ranch'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.

Black Butte Ranch radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Black Butte Ranch, OR?

KRTX (Portland, OR), about 113 miles north-northwest. KPDT (Pendleton, OR) is 165 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Black Butte Ranch?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Black Butte Ranch the lowest scan from KRTX is about 11,600 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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