Columbia, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Columbia What TALON shows

What weather hits Columbia?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 73 days in the Monroe forecast zone and Monroe County — the most common reported hazard around Columbia, mostly in June and May. Next come excessive heat (61 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (42 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	73	Apr 2025	May 6, 2003 · $400,000 damage
Excessive heat	61	Aug 2025	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	42	Jan 2025	Dec 1, 2006 · $750,000 damage
Flash flooding	18	Aug 2022	May 25, 2008 · $6,000 damage
Flooding	11	Jun 2019	—
High winds	6	Nov 2019	—
Ice storms & sleet	5	Feb 2022	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	4	Jan 2024	—

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

How much snow does Columbia get?

A normal year brings about 8.8 inches of snow to Columbia, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Waterloo weather station 7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (3.1 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.4	1.5	2.8	3.1	0.7	0.3	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 Columbia?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLSX (St. Louis, MO), about 30 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 Columbia	View
KLSX St. Louis, MO	30 mi west-northwest	1,800 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KPAH Paducah, KY	124 mi southeast	13,500 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KILX Lincoln, IL	126 mi north-northeast	13,700 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 Columbia

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 180 tornadoes within 25 miles of Columbia, 52 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an F4 on February 10, 1959, which passed about 12 miles north-northwest of town and caused 21 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on June 4, 2025, which passed about 24 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 974 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 106 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 25, 2011.

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 Columbia'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.

Columbia radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Columbia, IL?

KLSX (St. Louis, MO), about 30 miles west-northwest. KPAH (Paducah, KY) is 124 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Columbia?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Columbia the lowest scan from KLSX is about 1,800 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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