Rockaway Beach, OR Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Rockaway Beach, Tillamook County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Rockaway Beach?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 37 days in the Tillamook County Coast forecast zone and Tillamook County — the most common reported hazard around Rockaway Beach, mostly in January and December. Next come high winds (7 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (3 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flooding | 37 | Dec 2023 | Dec 3, 2007 · 1 death |
| High winds | 7 | Nov 2025 | — |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 3 | Nov 2025 | Mar 1, 2016 · $24,000 damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 1 | Feb 2025 | — |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 1 | Jan 1999 | Jan 17, 1999 · $15,000 damage |
| Debris flows | 1 | Jan 2022 | Jan 6, 2022 · $4,000 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 Tillamook County Coast forecast zone and Tillamook County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
Which radars cover Rockaway Beach?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRTX (Portland, OR), about 48 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.
| Radar | Distance | Lowest beam over Rockaway Beach | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KRTX Portland, OR | 48 mi east | 3,300 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KLGX Langley Hill, WA | 104 mi north | 10,200 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KATX Seattle/Tacoma, WA | 191 mi north-northeast | 27,000 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 Rockaway Beach
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 6 tornadoes within 25 miles of Rockaway Beach, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in October and December. The strongest was an EF2 on October 14, 2016, which touched down about 7 miles north of town. The most recent was an EF0 on November 11, 2024, which touched down near town.
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 Rockaway Beach'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.
Rockaway Beach radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Rockaway Beach, OR?
KRTX (Portland, OR), about 48 miles east. KLGX (Langley Hill, WA) is 104 miles away and also covers the area.
How often does Rockaway Beach flood?
Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 37 days in the Tillamook County Coast forecast zone and Tillamook County; the deadliest was on December 3, 2007, with 1 death. TALON's free flash-flood risk layer shows, every 2 minutes, how close the rain that has fallen is to what it takes to flood — turn it on under Layers.
Is TALON's radar for Rockaway Beach 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 Rockaway Beach, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Bay City, OR radar 7 mi
- Tillamook, OR radar 12 mi
- Cannon Beach, OR radar 19 mi
- Seaside, OR radar 26 mi
- Gearhart, OR radar 29 mi
- Warrenton, OR radar 38 mi
- Astoria, OR radar 40 mi
- Banks, OR radar 40 mi
- Vernonia, OR radar 40 mi
- Forest Grove, OR radar 41 mi