Arcola, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Arcola What TALON shows

What weather hits Arcola?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 82 days in the Douglas forecast zone and Douglas County — the most common reported hazard around Arcola, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (33 days) and flash flooding (26 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	82	Jun 2026	Oct 24, 2001 · $300,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	33	Jan 2026	Feb 1, 2011 · $350,000 damage
Flash flooding	26	Jun 2026	—
High winds	13	May 2025	Apr 2, 2016 · $10,000 damage
Excessive heat	13	Aug 2023	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	9	Jan 2026	—
Flooding	9	Jan 2020	Dec 27, 2015 · $2.2 million damage
Blizzards	2	Feb 2016	—

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 Douglas forecast zone and Douglas County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Arcola get?

A normal year brings about 17 inches of snow to Arcola, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Tuscola weather station 7.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (5.0 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.9	3.7	5.0	4.9	2.2	0.2	0.0

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

Which radars cover Arcola?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KILX (Lincoln, IL), about 64 miles west-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 Arcola	View
KILX Lincoln, IL	64 mi west-northwest	5,000 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KVWX Evansville, IN	103 mi south-southeast	10,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KIND Indianapolis, IN	107 mi east	10,700 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 Arcola

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 117 tornadoes within 25 miles of Arcola, 28 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an F4 on March 20, 1976, which passed about 18 miles north-northwest of town. The most recent was an EF2 on December 28, 2025, which passed about 25 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 186 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 25 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on April 7, 1998.

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 Arcola'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.

Arcola radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Arcola, IL?

KILX (Lincoln, IL), about 64 miles west-northwest. KVWX (Evansville, IN) is 103 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Arcola?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Arcola the lowest scan from KILX is about 5,000 ft up.

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

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