Moorhead, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for MoorheadWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Moorhead?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 62 days in the Monona forecast zone and Monona County — the most common reported hazard around Moorhead, mostly in July and August. Next come extreme cold & wind chill (54 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (41 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds62May 2026May 5, 2007 · $40,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill54Jan 2026—
Heavy snow & winter storms41Nov 2025—
High winds26Mar 2026—
Blizzards15Mar 2025—
Excessive heat15Jun 2026—
Flooding11Jun 2024Jul 16, 1996 · $29 million damage
Flash flooding9Jun 2024May 5, 2007 · $1.4 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 Monona forecast zone and Monona County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Moorhead get?

A normal year brings about 29 inches of snow to Moorhead, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Castana Exp Farm weather station 9.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (7.2 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.72.05.77.17.24.21.70.0

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

Which radars cover Moorhead?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 49 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 MoorheadView
KOAX
Omaha, NE		49 mi south-southwest3,500 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDMX
Des Moines, IA		110 mi east11,200 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		123 mi north-northwest13,300 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 Moorhead

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 86 tornadoes within 25 miles of Moorhead, 20 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an EF4 on April 26, 2024, which passed about 24 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on June 12, 2024, which touched down about 21 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 301 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 40 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on June 12, 2024.

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 Moorhead'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.

Moorhead radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Moorhead, IA?

KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 49 miles south-southwest. KDMX (Des Moines, IA) is 110 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Moorhead?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Moorhead the lowest scan from KOAX is about 3,500 ft up.

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

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