Sidney, IA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for SidneyWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Sidney?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 64 days in the Fremont forecast zone and Fremont County — the most common reported hazard around Sidney, mostly in June and May. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (56 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (45 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flooding64Jul 2024Mar 13, 2019 · 1 death · $22 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds56May 2026Aug 3, 1997 · $5,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms45Feb 2025Oct 25, 1997 · $1.1 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill31Feb 2025—
Excessive heat30Jun 2026—
High winds18Mar 2026Apr 19, 1996 · $2,000 damage
Blizzards8Mar 2025—
Flash flooding6Jun 2026Mar 17, 2019 · $21 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 Fremont forecast zone and Fremont County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Sidney get?

A normal year brings about 21 inches of snow to Sidney, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Sidney 1Sse weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually February (6.3 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.51.14.25.06.32.31.20.0

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

Which radars cover Sidney?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 55 miles 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 SidneyView
KOAX
Omaha, NE		55 mi northwest4,000 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDMX
Des Moines, IA		121 mi northeast12,900 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KTWX
Topeka, KS		125 mi south-southwest13,500 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 Sidney

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 128 tornadoes within 25 miles of Sidney, 32 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F4 on April 12, 1964, which passed about 22 miles east-southeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on August 10, 2025, which touched down about 22 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 425 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 49 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 Sidney'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.

Sidney radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Sidney, IA?

KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 55 miles northwest. KDMX (Des Moines, IA) is 121 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Sidney?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Sidney the lowest scan from KOAX is about 4,000 ft up.

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

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