Tacoma, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Tacoma What TALON shows

What weather hits Tacoma?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 103 days in the Wise forecast zone and Wise County — the most common reported hazard around Tacoma, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (81 days) and flash flooding (19 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	103	Mar 2026	Nov 9, 2000 · $43,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	81	Mar 2026	Dec 18, 2009 · $406,000 damage
Flash flooding	19	Jun 2026	Mar 17, 2002 · 1 death
Flooding	12	Jul 2024	Feb 14, 2003 · $800,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	6	Mar 2015	—
High winds	6	Sep 2024	Dec 9, 2009 · $25,000 damage
Blizzards	1	Mar 2015	—
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 Wise forecast zone and Wise County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Tacoma get?

A normal year brings about 47 inches of snow to Tacoma, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Wise 1Se weather station 3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (12.8 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.9	1.9	9.6	12.8	11.6	8.6	1.7	0.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Tacoma?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KJKL (Jackson, KY), about 62 miles 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Tacoma	View
KJKL Jackson, KY	62 mi northwest	4,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMRX Knoxville, TN	72 mi southwest	5,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KRLX Charleston, WV	105 mi north-northeast	10,300 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 Tacoma

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 15 tornadoes within 25 miles of Tacoma, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an EF2 on May 8, 2009, which touched down about 9 miles north of town. The most recent was an EF1 on May 16, 2023, which touched down about 21 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 100 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 6 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on July 27, 2014.

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 Tacoma'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.

Tacoma radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Tacoma, VA?

KJKL (Jackson, KY), about 62 miles northwest. KMRX (Knoxville, TN) is 72 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Tacoma?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Tacoma the lowest scan from KJKL is about 4,800 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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