Bristol, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Bristol What TALON shows

What weather hits Bristol?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 60 days in the Washington forecast zone and City of Bristol County — the most common reported hazard around Bristol, mostly in January and February. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (30 days) and high winds (9 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	60	Jan 2026	Jan 24, 2026 · $200,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	30	Mar 2021	May 26, 2004 · $25,000 damage
High winds	9	Sep 2024	Dec 9, 2009 · $760,000 damage
Flooding	8	Feb 2025	Feb 14, 2003 · $50,000 damage
Flash flooding	5	Jul 2025	Aug 17, 2010 · $20,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	3	Dec 2010	Dec 16, 2010 · $20,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	1	Dec 2022	—

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 Washington forecast zone and City of Bristol County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Bristol?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMRX (Knoxville, TN), about 76 miles west-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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Bristol	View
KMRX Knoxville, TN	76 mi west-southwest	6,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KJKL Jackson, KY	93 mi northwest	8,600 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFCX Blacksburg, VA	108 mi east-northeast	10,800 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 Bristol

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 27 tornadoes within 25 miles of Bristol, 5 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and June. The strongest was an EF3 on April 27, 2011, which passed about 12 miles east-northeast of town and caused 3 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 12, 2017, which touched down about 14 miles east-southeast of town.

Hail: 151 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 12 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on October 8, 1960.

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 Bristol'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.

Bristol radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Bristol, VA?

KMRX (Knoxville, TN), about 76 miles west-southwest. KJKL (Jackson, KY) is 93 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Bristol?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Bristol the lowest scan from KMRX is about 6,400 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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