De Smet, ID Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for De Smet What TALON shows

What weather hits De Smet?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 107 days in the Idaho Palouse forecast zone and Benewah County — the most common reported hazard around De Smet, mostly in January and December. Next come flooding (23 days) and high winds (18 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	107	Feb 2026	Dec 20, 1997 · 1 death
Flooding	23	May 2018	Mar 15, 2017 · $500,000 damage
High winds	18	Dec 2025	Feb 2, 1999 · $1.0 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	10	Sep 2024	Jul 9, 1998 · $50,000 damage
Dust storms	2	Sep 2024	—
Blizzards	2	Dec 2010	—
Debris flows	2	Sep 2024	Sep 11, 2024 · $1,000 damage
Wildfires	2	Aug 1998	Aug 19, 1998 · $25,000 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 Idaho Palouse forecast zone and Benewah County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does De Smet get?

A normal year brings about 41 inches of snow to De Smet, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Potlatch 3 Nne weather station 12.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (13.1 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.2	5.2	10.6	13.1	7.6	3.1	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 De Smet?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 50 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over De Smet	View
KOTX Spokane, WA	50 mi northwest	3,600 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KPDT Pendleton, OR	136 mi southwest	15,600 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMSX Missoula, MT	138 mi east	15,800 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 De Smet

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 1 tornado within 25 miles of De Smet. The strongest was an F0 on September 14, 1986, which touched down about 8 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 19 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 1 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on August 11, 2022.

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 De Smet'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.

De Smet radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to De Smet, ID?

KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 50 miles northwest. KPDT (Pendleton, OR) is 136 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in De Smet?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over De Smet the lowest scan from KOTX is about 3,600 ft up.

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

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