Eldon, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for EldonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Eldon?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 95 days in the Wapello forecast zone and Wapello County — the most common reported hazard around Eldon, mostly in June and July. Next come flooding (76 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (41 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds95Jul 2025Jun 21, 1997 · $110,000 damage
Flooding76Jul 2019Jun 12, 2010 · $20 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms41Feb 2025Oct 26, 1997 · $3.2 million damage
High winds21Apr 2025Nov 10, 1998 · $605,000 damage
Flash flooding20Jun 2021Jun 25, 2000 · $600,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet17Dec 2024Jan 20, 2010 · $200,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill15Jan 2025Sep 21, 1999 · $294,000 damage
Blizzards10Jan 2024Dec 20, 2012 · $100,000 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 Wapello forecast zone and Wapello County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Eldon?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDMX (Des Moines, IA), about 96 miles 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over EldonView
KDMX
Des Moines, IA		96 mi northwest9,100 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDVN
Quad Cities, IA		98 mi east-northeast9,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KILX
Lincoln, IL		160 mi east-southeast20,200 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 Eldon

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 83 tornadoes within 25 miles of Eldon, 25 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and June. The strongest was an F4 on January 24, 1967, which passed about 16 miles south of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on August 11, 2025, which touched down about 24 miles east-southeast of town.

Hail: 270 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 20 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on August 28, 1990.

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 Eldon'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.

Eldon radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Eldon, IA?

KDMX (Des Moines, IA), about 96 miles northwest. KDVN (Quad Cities, IA) is 98 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Eldon?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Eldon the lowest scan from KDMX is about 9,100 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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