Milton, WA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Milton What TALON shows

What weather hits Milton?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged lightning damage or injuries on 5 days in the Lowlands of Pierce and Southern King Counties forecast zone and Pierce County — the most common reported hazard around Milton, mostly in September and February. Next come flooding (3 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (1 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Lightning casualties & damage	5	Sep 2013	Sep 5, 2013 · $5,000 damage
Flooding	3	Dec 2015	Jan 7, 2009 · $8.8 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	1	May 2013	May 13, 2013 · $30,000 damage
Debris flows	1	Mar 2017	—

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 Lowlands of Pierce and Southern King Counties forecast zone and Pierce County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Milton get?

A normal year brings about 5.6 inches of snow to Milton, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Mcmillin Rsvr weather station 8.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (1.5 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	1.5	1.5	1.5	0.5	0.6	0.0	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 Milton?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KATX (Seattle/Tacoma, WA), about 66 miles north. 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 Milton	View
KATX Seattle/Tacoma, WA	66 mi north	5,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLGX Langley Hill, WA	85 mi west	7,500 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KRTX Portland, OR	111 mi south-southwest	11,200 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 Milton

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 13 tornadoes within 25 miles of Milton, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and December. The strongest was an F3 on December 12, 1969, which passed about 18 miles north-northwest of town. The most recent was an EF2 on December 18, 2018, which touched down about 23 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 1 report of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.50-inch hail on June 8, 1972.

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 Milton'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.

Milton radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Milton, WA?

KATX (Seattle/Tacoma, WA), about 66 miles north. KLGX (Langley Hill, WA) is 85 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Milton?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Milton the lowest scan from KATX is about 5,200 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

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