Pierson, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for PiersonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Pierson?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 112 days in the Woodbury forecast zone and Woodbury County — the most common reported hazard around Pierson, mostly in June and July. Next come high winds (41 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (41 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds112May 2026Jul 20, 2008 · $5.0 million damage
High winds41Mar 2026Mar 10, 2005 · $50,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms41Nov 2025Mar 8, 2002 · $50,000 damage
Flash flooding34Aug 2024Jul 2, 1999 · $8.0 million damage
Flooding33Jun 2024Mar 13, 2019 · $6.8 million damage
Excessive heat29Jun 2026Jun 30, 2019 · 1 death
Blizzards26Mar 2026Jan 9, 1997 · $50,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill19Dec 2025—

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 Woodbury forecast zone and Woodbury County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Pierson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 84 miles north-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 PiersonView
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		84 mi north-northwest7,400 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KOAX
Omaha, NE		88 mi south-southwest8,000 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDMX
Des Moines, IA		123 mi east-southeast13,300 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 Pierson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 105 tornadoes within 25 miles of Pierson, 28 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F4 on June 23, 1952, which passed about 14 miles north of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on April 16, 2024, which touched down about 23 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 361 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 36 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 Pierson'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.

Pierson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Pierson, IA?

KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 84 miles north-northwest. KOAX (Omaha, NE) is 88 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Pierson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Pierson the lowest scan from KFSD is about 7,400 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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