Thornton, TX Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for ThorntonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Thornton?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 71 days in the Limestone forecast zone and Limestone County — the most common reported hazard around Thornton, mostly in May and April. Next come flash flooding (58 days) and excessive heat (47 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds71Jun 2025Nov 7, 1996 · $170,000 damage
Flash flooding58Jun 2026Apr 28, 2009 · $1.0 million damage
Excessive heat47Jun 2026—
Heavy snow & winter storms12Jan 2026Feb 23, 2010 · $25,000 damage
Flooding12May 2021Jan 25, 2012 · $10,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill7Jan 2026Feb 15, 2021 · 1 death · $149,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet4Feb 2023—
Wildfires2Jul 2022Sep 4, 2011 · $30,000 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 Limestone forecast zone and Limestone County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Thornton?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGRK (Central Texas, TX), about 68 miles southwest. 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 ThorntonView
KGRK
Central Texas, TX		68 mi southwest5,400 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KFWS
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX		91 mi north-northwest8,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KEWX
San Antonio, TX		146 mi southwest17,400 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 Thornton

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 60 tornadoes within 25 miles of Thornton, 11 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an F4 on March 10, 1973, which passed about 17 miles west-northwest of town and caused 6 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on May 6, 2025, which passed about 25 miles east of town.

Hail: 163 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 21 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 5.00-inch hail on April 21, 1958.

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 Thornton'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.

Thornton radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Thornton, TX?

KGRK (Central Texas, TX), about 68 miles southwest. KFWS (Dallas/Fort Worth, TX) is 91 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Thornton?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Thornton the lowest scan from KGRK is about 5,400 ft up.

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

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