Dougherty, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for DoughertyWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Dougherty?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 84 days in the Cerro Gordo forecast zone and Cerro Gordo County — the most common reported hazard around Dougherty, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (57 days) and high winds (53 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds84Jul 2025Jun 23, 1998 · $275,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms57Jan 2024Feb 24, 2007 · $250,000 damage
High winds53Aug 2025Nov 10, 1998 · $305,000 damage
Flooding47Jun 2024Jun 12, 2010 · $20 million damage
Blizzards35Mar 2025Dec 20, 2012 · $100,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill28Jan 2025Sep 21, 1999 · $294,000 damage
Flash flooding21Jun 2018Jul 19, 1999 · $1.1 million damage
Ice storms & sleet11Jan 2013Dec 23, 2009 · $500,000 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 Cerro Gordo forecast zone and Cerro Gordo County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Dougherty?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDMX (Des Moines, IA), about 89 miles south-southwest. 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over DoughertyView
KDMX
Des Moines, IA		89 mi south-southwest8,100 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KARX
La Crosse, WI		112 mi northeast11,400 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMPX
Minneapolis, MN		136 mi north15,500 ftLimited — 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 Dougherty

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 106 tornadoes within 25 miles of Dougherty, 24 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F5 on May 15, 1968, which passed about 3 miles southeast of town and caused 13 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on July 28, 2025, which touched down about 19 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 382 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 26 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.75-inch hail on June 8, 1993.

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 Dougherty'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.

Dougherty radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Dougherty, IA?

KDMX (Des Moines, IA), about 89 miles south-southwest. KARX (La Crosse, WI) is 112 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Dougherty?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Dougherty the lowest scan from KDMX is about 8,100 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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