Craig, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Craig What TALON shows

What weather hits Craig?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 81 days in the Plymouth forecast zone and Plymouth County — the most common reported hazard around Craig, mostly in June and April. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (75 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (42 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Flooding	81	Jul 2025	Mar 13, 2019 · $2.3 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	75	Jul 2025	Jun 23, 2003 · $100,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	42	Jan 2024	—
High winds	28	Dec 2025	Apr 7, 2001 · $50,000 damage
Excessive heat	28	Jun 2026	—
Blizzards	25	Mar 2026	Dec 8, 2009 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill	21	Dec 2025	—
Flash flooding	20	May 2026	Jun 22, 2010 · $50,000 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 Plymouth forecast zone and Plymouth County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Craig get?

A normal year brings about 31 inches of snow to Craig, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Le Mars weather station 11.4 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (7.8 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.4	2.6	6.0	7.8	7.5	4.6	1.9	0.1

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Craig?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 52 miles north-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 Craig	View
KFSD Sioux Falls, SD	52 mi north-northwest	3,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KOAX Omaha, NE	109 mi south	10,900 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KDMX Des Moines, IA	155 mi east-southeast	19,100 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 Craig

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 113 tornadoes within 25 miles of Craig, 25 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F3 on May 5, 1964, which passed about 15 miles southeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on May 31, 2024, which touched down about 20 miles east of town.

Hail: 386 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 41 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on June 19, 1996.

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 Craig'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.

Craig radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Craig, IA?

KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 52 miles north-northwest. KOAX (Omaha, NE) is 109 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Craig?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Craig the lowest scan from KFSD is about 3,800 ft up.

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

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