Essex, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Essex What TALON shows

What weather hits Essex?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 74 days in the Page forecast zone and Page County — the most common reported hazard around Essex, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (37 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (30 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	74	Jun 2026	Aug 10, 2025 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms	37	Feb 2025	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	30	Feb 2025	—
Excessive heat	29	Jun 2026	—
High winds	20	Mar 2026	Apr 19, 1996 · $40,000 damage
Flooding	16	Jul 2016	Jun 14, 1998 · $2.0 million damage
Blizzards	6	Mar 2025	—
Flash flooding	6	Jun 2026	Jul 15, 2015 · $15,000 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 Page forecast zone and Page County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Essex get?

A normal year brings about 26 inches of snow to Essex, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Shenandoah weather station 5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (7.5 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.6	1.5	5.8	7.0	7.5	2.8	1.2	0.0

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

Which radars cover Essex?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 65 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 Essex	View
KOAX Omaha, NE	65 mi west-northwest	5,100 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDMX Des Moines, IA	103 mi northeast	10,000 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KTWX Topeka, KS	136 mi south-southwest	15,500 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 Essex

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 122 tornadoes within 25 miles of Essex, 37 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an EF4 on May 21, 2024, which passed about 20 miles east-northeast of town and caused 5 deaths. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on July 11, 2025, which touched down about 18 miles east of town.

Hail: 345 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 40 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on April 19, 2023.

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 Essex'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.

Essex radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Essex, IA?

KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 65 miles west-northwest. KDMX (Des Moines, IA) is 103 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Essex?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Essex the lowest scan from KOAX is about 5,100 ft up.

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

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