Beacon, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Beacon What TALON shows

What weather hits Beacon?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 103 days in the Mahaska forecast zone and Mahaska County — the most common reported hazard around Beacon, mostly in June and May. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (71 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (44 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Flooding	103	Jun 2019	Jun 12, 2010 · $20 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	71	Jun 2025	Jun 21, 1997 · $325,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	44	Feb 2025	Oct 26, 1997 · $3.2 million damage
High winds	26	Mar 2025	May 30, 2003 · 1 death · $25,000 damage
Flash flooding	18	Jul 2024	Jun 25, 2000 · $600,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	15	Jan 2025	Sep 21, 1999 · $294,000 damage
Blizzards	12	Jan 2024	Dec 20, 2012 · $100,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	12	Dec 2024	Jan 20, 2010 · $250,000 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 Mahaska forecast zone and Mahaska County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Beacon?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDMX (Des Moines, IA), about 62 miles west-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 Beacon	View
KDMX Des Moines, IA	62 mi west-northwest	4,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDVN Quad Cities, IA	111 mi east-northeast	11,300 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KEAX Kansas City, MO	190 mi south-southwest	26,800 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 Beacon

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 99 tornadoes within 25 miles of Beacon, 21 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on June 7, 1984, which passed about 8 miles southeast of town and caused 3 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on May 24, 2024, which passed about 16 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 291 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 39 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.75-inch hail on May 8, 2003.

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 Beacon'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.

Beacon radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Beacon, IA?

KDMX (Des Moines, IA), about 62 miles west-northwest. KDVN (Quad Cities, IA) is 111 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Beacon?

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

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

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