Arco, ID Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Arco What TALON shows

What weather hits Arco?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 87 days in the Lost River Valleys forecast zone and Butte County — the most common reported hazard around Arco, mostly in August and July. Next come high winds (19 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (18 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	87	Jun 2026	Apr 22, 2009 · $4,000 damage
High winds	19	Jun 2026	Dec 17, 2025 · $20,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	18	Feb 2025	—
Flooding	8	Jan 2019	Feb 4, 2017 · $265,000 damage
Wildfires	6	Jun 2021	Jun 15, 2021 · $22,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	4	Jan 2025	—
Flash flooding	3	Aug 2014	Jul 31, 1998 · $20,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	1	Jun 2025	Jun 11, 2025 · $7,000 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 Lost River Valleys forecast zone and Butte County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Arco get?

A normal year brings about 24 inches of snow to Arco, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Arco weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually December (8.1 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.3	1.2	8.1	7.0	4.6	1.1	1.3	0.2

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

Which radars cover Arco?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KSFX (Pocatello, ID), about 48 miles southeast. 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Arco	View
KSFX Pocatello, ID	48 mi southeast	3,300 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KCBX Boise, ID	147 mi west	17,600 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMTX Salt Lake City, UT	169 mi south-southeast	22,100 ft	Limited — 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 Arco

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 7 tornadoes within 25 miles of Arco. Most came in July and June. The strongest was an F1 on July 18, 1987, which touched down about 16 miles southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on June 21, 2018, which passed about 15 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 15 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.50-inch hail on September 9, 1985.

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 Arco'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.

Arco radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Arco, ID?

KSFX (Pocatello, ID), about 48 miles southeast. KCBX (Boise, ID) is 147 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Arco?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Arco the lowest scan from KSFX is about 3,300 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Idaho towns →