Austin Weather Radar

Austin Live Weather

Austin Live Weather Radar

Click to toggle between the Austin cloud cover radar map and the Austin precipitation radar map.

Austin Hourly Weather Forecast

Austin 7-Day Weather Forecast

Austin Weather Overview

The Austin weather radar delivers live doppler tracking for flash floods and severe storms across Central Texas. Austin sits where the Balcones Escarpment meets the Hill Country, creating steep terrain that earned this region the nickname "Flash Flood Alley." This Austin weather radar updates every 10 minutes with doppler returns showing thunderstorm development. Heavy rainfall channels into Shoal Creek, Onion Creek, and Barton Creek within minutes, turning low-water crossings deadly.

The Austin weather radar tracked the Memorial Day Flood of May 1981, when 10.2 inches fell on Shoal Creek in four hours, killing 13 people. The Austin weather radar with doppler also captured the Halloween Flood of October 2013 — Onion Creek surged to 41 feet, double its flood stage, damaging over 1,200 homes. This Austin weather radar uses advanced doppler technology to help residents monitor sudden doppler-detected storms before water rises across Travis County.

Severe weather brings damaging hail, straight-line winds, and occasional tornadoes each spring. The Austin weather radar map displays rotating doppler cells and heavy rain bands approaching from the west. Summer heat regularly exceeds 100°F, with Austin's record high of 112°F set in September 2000. Winter is mild, but the February 2021 ice storm plunged temperatures to 6°F, collapsing the power grid. The National Weather Service office issues severe storm warnings when the Austin weather radar detects doppler-indicated conditions developing across Central Texas.

Austin Weather Risks & Safety

Key weather hazards to monitor on the Austin weather radar

Flooding & Flash Flood Risk

Flash flooding is Austin's most persistent weather hazard. Slow-moving thunderstorms or tropical moisture can dump enough rain to overwhelm drainage systems within hours — especially in paved urban areas where water has nowhere to go. Check the radar to see where the heaviest rain is falling and which areas to avoid. The standing rule: turn around, don't drown. Never drive through flooded roads, even if they look shallow.

Severe Thunderstorm Risk

Severe thunderstorms roll through Austin regularly, especially spring through early fall. Expect damaging winds above 58 mph, large hail, and dangerous lightning. The radar shows you each storm cell's position, movement, and intensity — so you can tell if one is headed your way. When a thunderstorm warning drops for Austin, get indoors and away from windows until it passes.

Extreme Heat Risk

Summers in Austin get dangerously hot — heat indices regularly push past 100°F, and heat waves can last for weeks. When the radar shows clear skies with no storm activity for days, that usually means the heat is building. Outdoor workers, elderly residents, and anyone without reliable AC are most at risk. Stay hydrated, avoid outdoor activity during peak afternoon hours, and check on neighbors who might be struggling.

Tornado Risk

Tornadoes hit Austin hardest in spring and early summer, when warm Gulf air slams into cooler northern fronts. Supercell thunderstorms can spin up EF2+ tornadoes with very little lead time. On radar, rotation signatures inside storm cells give you a few critical minutes to reach shelter. Austin averages several tornado warnings per year — know where your safe room or interior closet is before you need it.

Ice Storm Risk

Ice storms are rare in Austin but devastating when they hit. A quarter-inch of freezing rain coats everything — roads turn into skating rinks, power lines snap, trees come down. The radar shows whether you're getting rain, freezing rain, sleet, or snow — that distinction is critical. When Austin gets an ice storm warning, stay off the roads and prepare for power outages that could last several days.

How to Use Austin Weather Radar

Follow these steps to get the most from the Austin weather radar data.

Check Current Austin Weather

Look at the weather status bar at the top of the page. It shows real-time temperature, humidity, wind speed, and conditions for Austin — critical during extreme heat waves when temperatures push past 100°F in July and August.

Watch the Austin Doppler Radar Map

The radar map shows precipitation moving across Austin and the Texas Hill Country. Play the animation to track severe thunderstorms approaching from the west — in Flash Flood Alley, heavy rain can trigger dangerous flooding within minutes.

Review the Austin Weather Forecast

Scroll down to the hourly and 7-day forecast for Austin. Look for flash flood and severe thunderstorm risks in the next few hours. During Austin's primary rain peaks in May and October, check radar and forecast together before making outdoor plans.

Decide and Act

Heavy rain stalling over Austin on radar? Avoid low-water crossings and creek areas — flash flooding kills more people in Central Texas than any other weather hazard. Clear skies? You're good to go. Bookmark this page and check back when conditions shift.

Who Benefits from Austin Weather Radar

How different people use the Austin radar data

Commuters & Drivers

Austin commuters battling I-35 congestion, MoPac (Loop 1), US-183, and SH-130 face sudden flash flooding and severe thunderstorms that turn roads dangerous fast. Check the radar before your drive — see where heavy rain cells are tracking across Central Texas.

Outdoor Enthusiasts

Paddlers on Lady Bird Lake, hikers along Barton Creek Greenbelt, runners on Town Lake Trail, and families at Zilker Park — check the hourly forecast first. Austin's sudden thunderstorms develop fast over the Hill Country, and the radar shows them before they reach you.

Event Planners & Families

Planning an outdoor event at Zilker Park for ACL Festival, racing at COTA (Circuit of the Americas), a game at Darrell K Royal Stadium, or a match at Q2 Stadium? The 7-day forecast picks the best window, and radar shows exactly when storms will hit.

Outdoor Workers

Construction crews in the Domain, Tesla Gigafactory workers, Samsung campus teams, and downtown construction projects — check the radar before scheduling outdoor work. Austin's extreme heat in summer and sudden severe thunderstorms bring lightning and flash flooding with little warning.

Austin Weather FAQ

Common questions about Austin weather patterns and radar

Why is Austin considered part of Flash Flood Alley?

Austin sits where the Balcones Escarpment meets the Texas Hill Country, creating steep terrain with thin limestone soil that sheds water fast. When thunderstorms stall over the area, runoff funnels into narrow creeks within minutes. The Memorial Day Flood of 1981 dropped 10.2 inches in four hours on Shoal Creek alone. NOAA considers Central Texas one of the most flash-flood-prone regions in the United States, and most flooding deaths here happen in vehicles on low-water crossings.

What was the worst weather disaster in Austin's history?

The Memorial Day Flood on May 24-25, 1981 remains Austin's deadliest weather event — 10.2 inches of rain fell in four hours, killing 13 people and injuring over 100. The Halloween Flood of October 2013 also caused catastrophic damage when Onion Creek reached 41 feet, more than double its 17-foot flood stage, destroying or damaging over 1,200 homes in southeastern Austin.

How is this radar different from KXAN or KVUE Austin weather radar?

KXAN and KVUE provide radar alongside their broadcast forecasts and professional meteorologist commentary — especially useful during active severe weather coverage. This page focuses on a clean, ad-free interface with interactive RainViewer radar maps, Open-Meteo hourly forecasts, and a 7-day outlook for Austin. Radar imagery updates approximately every 10 minutes. If you want fast radar access without video autoplay or ads, bookmark this page.

Does Austin get tornadoes?

Yes, though tornadoes are less common than flooding. Travis County averages about two tornado warnings per year, mostly during spring severe weather season from March through May. The broader WFO EWX coverage area sees roughly 5 to 10 tornadoes annually. Most Austin-area tornadoes are EF0 or EF1, but stronger storms have hit surrounding counties. An interior room on the lowest floor is the safest shelter.

How cold can it get in Austin during winter?

Austin winters are generally mild, but rare arctic outbreaks can be devastating. Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 dropped temperatures to 6°F with four consecutive days below freezing, collapsing the Texas power grid and leaving over 200,000 Austin residents without water. The all-time record low is minus 2°F, set on January 31, 1949. When freezing rain or ice is forecast, Austin's roads become especially dangerous because the city has limited winter road-treatment equipment.

How much rain does Austin get per year?

Austin averages 34.32 inches of precipitation annually, according to NOAA 30-year normals measured at Camp Mabry station. Most rainfall concentrates in two peaks — a primary peak in May and a secondary peak in October. Summer months are typically drier, though isolated thunderstorms can still produce heavy rain. Measurable snowfall is extremely rare, averaging just 0.1 inches per year.