Rathdrum, ID Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Rathdrum What TALON shows

What weather hits Rathdrum?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 277 days in the Northern Panhandle forecast zone and Kootenai County — the most common reported hazard around Rathdrum, mostly in December and January. Next come wildfires (32 days) and flooding (29 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	277	Mar 2026	Dec 18, 1999 · $200,000 damage
Wildfires	32	Oct 2025	Sep 1, 2025 · $18 million damage
Flooding	29	Feb 2025	Jun 1, 1997 · $4.0 million damage
High winds	24	Apr 2026	Nov 17, 2015 · 1 death
Damaging thunderstorm winds	23	Sep 2024	Aug 28, 2011 · $300,000 damage
Debris flows	10	Mar 2018	Mar 15, 2017 · $900,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	8	Feb 2014	Jan 11, 1998 · $50,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	8	Jun 2017	Aug 10, 2013 · $200,000 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 Northern Panhandle forecast zone and Kootenai County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Rathdrum?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 35 miles west-southwest. 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 Rathdrum	View
KOTX Spokane, WA	35 mi west-southwest	2,200 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMSX Missoula, MT	146 mi east-southeast	17,300 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPDT Pendleton, OR	172 mi south-southwest	22,800 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 Rathdrum

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 4 tornadoes within 25 miles of Rathdrum, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F2 on May 31, 1997, which passed about 15 miles east-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on May 6, 2022, which touched down about 21 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 18 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 2 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 Rathdrum'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.

Rathdrum radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Rathdrum, ID?

KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 35 miles west-southwest. KMSX (Missoula, MT) is 146 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Rathdrum?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Rathdrum the lowest scan from KOTX is about 2,200 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Idaho towns →