Rector, AR Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Rector What TALON shows

What weather hits Rector?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged dangerous heat on 110 days in the Clay forecast zone and Clay County — the most common reported hazard around Rector, mostly in July and August. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (88 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (34 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Excessive heat	110	Jun 2026	—
Damaging thunderstorm winds	88	Apr 2026	May 24, 2000 · $500,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	34	Jan 2026	Dec 13, 2000 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding	23	Apr 2025	Apr 28, 2014 · $685,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	11	Feb 2026	Oct 9, 2000 · $250,000 damage
Flooding	9	May 2017	May 1, 2011 · 1 death · $1.3 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	3	Jan 2009	Jan 26, 2009 · 1 death · $750,000 damage
High winds	2	Mar 2023	Jan 29, 2008 · $25,000 damage

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 Clay forecast zone and Clay County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Rector?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KNQA (Memphis, TN), about 68 miles south-southeast. 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 Rector	View
KNQA Memphis, TN	68 mi south-southeast	5,400 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KPAH Paducah, KY	101 mi northeast	9,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLZK Little Rock, AR	148 mi southwest	17,800 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 Rector

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 115 tornadoes within 25 miles of Rector, 35 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an EF4 on December 10, 2021, which passed about 21 miles south-southeast of town and caused 8 deaths. The most recent was an EF2 on April 2, 2025, which passed about 18 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 241 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 22 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on April 25, 2006.

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 Rector'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.

Rector radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Rector, AR?

KNQA (Memphis, TN), about 68 miles south-southeast. KPAH (Paducah, KY) is 101 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Rector?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Rector the lowest scan from KNQA is about 5,400 ft up.

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

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