Smelterville, ID Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for SmeltervilleWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Smelterville?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 264 days in the Central Panhandle Mountains forecast zone and Shoshone County — the most common reported hazard around Smelterville, mostly in December and January. Next come wildfires (37 days) and flooding (28 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms264Mar 2026Jan 15, 2005 · 2 deaths
Wildfires37Jun 2026Aug 3, 2023 · $24 million damage
Flooding28Dec 2025Jan 16, 2011 · $1.0 million damage
High winds16Dec 2025Feb 2, 1999 · $500,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds10Sep 2024Dec 29, 2011 · $198,000 damage
Debris flows5May 2017Mar 30, 2012 · $768,000 damage
Avalanches4Mar 2026Jan 7, 2020 · 3 deaths
Extreme cold & wind chill3Feb 2014—

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 Central Panhandle Mountains forecast zone and Shoshone County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Smelterville get?

A normal year brings about 52 inches of snow to Smelterville, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Kellogg weather station 2.6 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (15.1 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.04.413.815.112.06.40.70.0

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

Which radars cover Smelterville?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 68 miles west. 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 SmeltervilleView
KOTX
Spokane, WA		68 mi west5,500 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMSX
Missoula, MT		108 mi east-southeast10,900 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPDT
Pendleton, OR		180 mi southwest24,600 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 Smelterville

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 1 tornado within 25 miles of Smelterville. The strongest was an F0 on June 5, 1987, which touched down about 3 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 10 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 May 27, 1993.

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 Smelterville'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.

Smelterville radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Smelterville, ID?

KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 68 miles west. KMSX (Missoula, MT) is 108 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Smelterville?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Smelterville the lowest scan from KOTX is about 5,500 ft up.

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

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