Lester, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for LesterWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Lester?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 62 days in the Lyon forecast zone and Lyon County — the most common reported hazard around Lester, mostly in April and June. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (56 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (50 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flooding62Jul 2024Jun 20, 2024 · $13 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds56Jul 2025Aug 28, 2021 · $52,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms50Dec 2025Apr 9, 2013 · $5.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill31Dec 2025—
Blizzards28Mar 2026Nov 10, 1998 · $23,000 damage
Excessive heat27Jun 2026—
High winds23Jan 2026Oct 29, 1996 · $40,000 damage
Flash flooding10Jun 2024Jun 12, 2001 · $4.0 million 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 Lyon forecast zone and Lyon County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Lester get?

A normal year brings about 35 inches of snow to Lester, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Rock Rapids weather station 8.2 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (8.4 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.43.68.46.07.35.63.50.1

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

Which radars cover Lester?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 22 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over LesterView
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		22 mi west-northwest1,300 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KOAX
Omaha, NE		147 mi south17,500 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMPX
Minneapolis, MN		168 mi northeast21,900 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 Lester

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 128 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lester, 24 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an EF4 on June 25, 2010, which passed about 19 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF1 on July 28, 2025, which touched down about 7 miles south-southeast of town.

Hail: 508 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 52 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-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 Lester'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.

Lester radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lester, IA?

KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 22 miles west-northwest. KOAX (Omaha, NE) is 147 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lester?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lester the lowest scan from KFSD is about 1,300 ft up.

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

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