North Washington, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for North WashingtonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits North Washington?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 60 days in the Chickasaw forecast zone and Chickasaw County — the most common reported hazard around North Washington, mostly in January and February. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (50 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (32 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms60Feb 2026Feb 23, 2007 · $100,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds50Aug 2024Jun 29, 2014 · $1.5 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill32Jan 2026—
Flash flooding26Aug 2025Aug 24, 2016 · 1 death · $10,000 damage
Blizzards20Mar 2026—
High winds15Mar 2026Nov 10, 1998 · $150,000 damage
Flooding15Aug 2025Aug 28, 2021 · $3.0 million damage
Excessive heat12Jun 2026Jul 17, 2011 · $33,000 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 Chickasaw forecast zone and Chickasaw County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does North Washington get?

A normal year brings about 39 inches of snow to North Washington, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the New Hampton weather station 7.2 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (10.3 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.12.97.99.710.36.21.40.0

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

Which radars cover North Washington?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KARX (La Crosse, WI), about 78 miles northeast. 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 North WashingtonView
KARX
La Crosse, WI		78 mi northeast6,700 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDMX
Des Moines, IA		117 mi southwest12,200 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMPX
Minneapolis, MN		133 mi north-northwest14,900 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 North Washington

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 114 tornadoes within 25 miles of North Washington, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F5 on May 15, 1968, which passed about 12 miles northwest of town and caused 13 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 9, 2024, which touched down about 14 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 297 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 35 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 North Washington'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.

North Washington radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to North Washington, IA?

KARX (La Crosse, WI), about 78 miles northeast. KDMX (Des Moines, IA) is 117 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in North Washington?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over North Washington the lowest scan from KARX is about 6,700 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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