Memphis, TN Live Doppler Radar

Watch storms move over Memphis in real time — every NWS radar combined, storm tracks, official warnings, and the closest radar's full 250 m detail.

Open live radar for Memphis What TALON shows

Which radars cover Memphis?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar to Memphis, TN is KNQA (Memphis), about 17 miles to the northeast. Radar beams climb as they travel because the Earth curves away underneath them, so the height of the lowest scan over a city decides how much of a storm's base the radar can see.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Memphis	View of low-level rotation
KNQA Memphis, TN	17 mi northeast	900 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan is close to the ground, where tornadoes form
KLZK Little Rock, AR	127 mi west	13,900 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KGWX Columbus AFB, MS	131 mi southeast	14,600 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms

Beam height is the center of the 0.5° scan above the radar, using standard atmospheric refraction. Hills and buildings near the radar can block it further.

On TALON you get Memphis's live radar loop, storm tracks with arrival times and NWS warnings free; close-up radar and rotation detection are part of TALON Pro.

Tornado & hail history near Memphis

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 106 tornadoes within 25 miles of Memphis, 37 of them rated EF2/F2 or stronger. They have been most common in April and May. The strongest was an F3 on December 14, 1987, which passed about 5 miles northwest of the city and caused 6 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on May 18, 2025, which touched down about 23 miles south-southeast of the city.

Hail: 338 reports of hail 1 inch or larger within 25 miles of Memphis since 1955, 15 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest was 3.00-inch hail (teacup size) on April 11, 1987.

Tornadoes since 1950	106
EF2/F2 or stronger	37
Strongest tornado	F3 · Dec 1987
Busiest tornado month	April
Largest hail	3.00 in · Apr 1987

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database — tornadoes 1950–2025, hail 1955–2025 (the latest year is preliminary). Distances are to each tornado's recorded track; ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita (F) scale.

Memphis radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Memphis?

KNQA near Memphis, TN, about 17 miles away. A second radar, KLZK (Little Rock), is 127 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado over Memphis?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it can see the rotating storm and, once a tornado is lofting debris, a debris signature. Over Memphis the lowest scan from KNQA is roughly 900 ft up. Excellent — the lowest scan is close to the ground, where tornadoes form. TALON combines that with NOAA's ProbSevere model to flag storms most likely to produce tornadoes.

How often do tornadoes hit Memphis?

NOAA records show 106 tornadoes within 25 miles of Memphis since 1950 — about 1.4 a year on average, most often in April and May. Most were weak, but 37 were EF2/F2 or stronger.

Should I rely on radar for my safety?

No app replaces official warnings. When the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for Memphis, take shelter right away — see watch vs. warning.