How fast does this interactive Doppler radar map update?

NWS warning and watch polygons are refreshed every 30 seconds from official Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) streams. NEXRAD Doppler radar reflectivity composites update every 5 to 10 minutes as ground-based radar volume scans complete.

What does a hook echo look like on Doppler radar?

A hook echo appears as a comma- or hook-shaped appendage wrapping around the southern or southwestern edge of a severe supercell thunderstorm. It is caused by precipitation rotating around the storm's powerful mesocyclone updraft and is one of the classic radar indicators of a developing tornado.

Can I use this radar map on mobile and switch to satellite view?

Yes. Our map is built on WebGL hardware acceleration, fully responsive on iPhone, Android, and tablets. You can tap the 'Layers' button in the upper right corner to toggle instantly between clean Street, Dark Vector, and high-resolution Esri Satellite views.

How do I spot storm rotation and supercells on the tornado radar map?

Supercell rotation appears on Doppler radar as cyclonic velocity couplets with adjacent inbound and outbound winds, and hook echo reflectivity patterns. When high-resolution Doppler velocity indicates tight gate-to-gate shear, meteorologists issue immediate Tornado Warnings.

Tornado Map Live Doppler Radar & Warning Loop

Q: What do the colored polygons on the live tornado map represent?

Red polygons represent active National Weather Service (NWS) Tornado Warnings, indicating a confirmed tornado or radar-detected rotation. Amber/yellow polygons indicate Tornado Watches (conditions favorable over a broader area) or Severe Thunderstorm Warnings. Clicking on any polygon opens detailed alert timing, affected cities, and emergency sheltering instructions.

Tornado map live interactive view provides real-time vector warning polygons, NEXRAD Doppler radar reflectivity, and supercell rotation scans.

NOAA Radar Active • Zero Active Warnings (Calm)

Doppler--:--

Step-by-Step Tutorial

How to Track Severe Weather on the Interactive Tornado Map

Follow these actionable steps to locate active rotation, evaluate radar reflectivity, and monitor storm trajectories in real time.

Locate Your Area

Pan across the interactive map or use zoom gestures to center on your specific county, city, or neighborhood.

Inspect Warning Polygons

Click or tap on any red polygon (Tornado Warning) or amber polygon (Tornado Watch) to view official emergency timing, affected communities, and sheltering advice.

Animate Radar Loop

Press the Play button on the timeline controller at the bottom of the map to animate past radar scans and determine storm speed and directional heading.

Decode Radar Colors (dBZ)

Cross-reference the radar colors on the map against the dBZ scale below to spot heavy rain, destructive hail cores, or hook echo rotation.

Color Spectrum & Intensity

Doppler Radar Reflectivity (dBZ) Guide

NEXRAD Doppler weather radar measures the microwave energy reflected back by precipitation particles (measured in decibels of reflectivity, or dBZ). Higher dBZ values signify heavier precipitation, destructive hail, or tornadic debris lofted thousands of feet into the sky.

< 20 dBZ (Light)35 dBZ50 dBZ (Heavy)60 dBZ> 65 dBZ (Debris)

< 20 dBZ

Light

Very Light Rain

Mist, drizzle, or light virga evaporating before reaching the surface.

20 - 35 dBZ

Moderate

Moderate Rain

Steady stratiform rainfall and early convective thunder initiation.

40 - 50 dBZ

Heavy

Heavy Rain / Hail

Intense torrential downpours, lightning cores, and small pea-sized hail.

55 - 65 dBZ

Severe

Severe Core / Hail

Violent supercell updrafts, golf-ball or baseball hail, and intense downdrafts.

> 65 dBZ

Extreme

Tornadic Debris Ball

Extreme reflectivity signature indicating lofted structural debris inside the vortex.

Dual-Polarization Detection

Critical Tornadic Radar Signatures

How National Weather Service meteorologists identify rotating mesocyclones and confirm ground touchdowns on Doppler radar.

The Classic Hook Echo

Reflectivity

A hook echo is a distinctive curved reflectivity pattern extending from the southwest flank of a supercell. It forms when precipitation is swept around the storm's rotating mesocyclone updraft by the Rear Flank Downdraft (RFD), indicating where a tornado is actively forming or touching down.

Tornadic Debris Signature (TDS)

Dual-Pol CC < 0.8

When a tornado touches down, it lofts trees, shingles, and structural debris into the vortex. Dual-polarization radar detects this as a Tornadic Debris Signature (TDS)—characterized by high reflectivity paired with a sharp drop in Correlation Coefficient (CC < 0.8), confirming a damaging tornado on the ground.

Got Questions?

Tornado Radar Map FAQ

Common questions regarding interactive radar tracking and polygon overlays.

Red polygons represent active National Weather Service (NWS) Tornado Warnings, indicating a confirmed tornado or radar-detected rotation. Amber/yellow polygons indicate Tornado Watches (conditions favorable over a broader area) or Severe Thunderstorm Warnings. Clicking on any polygon opens detailed alert timing, affected cities, and emergency sheltering instructions.

Explore Severe Weather Intelligence

Access nationwide emergency metrics, live outbreak tables, and historical state climatology.

Live Tornado Tracker Today Outbreaks