Dixon, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Dixon What TALON shows

What weather hits Dixon?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 96 days in the Lee forecast zone and Lee County — the most common reported hazard around Dixon, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (41 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (27 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	96	Jun 2026	Jun 24, 2013 · $100,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	41	Dec 2025	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	27	Jan 2026	—
Flash flooding	17	Aug 2025	May 13, 2010 · $10,000 damage
High winds	14	Mar 2026	Oct 26, 2010 · $50,000 damage
Flooding	13	Jun 2020	—
Excessive heat	9	Jun 2026	—
Ice storms & sleet	5	Feb 2019	—

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

How much snow does Dixon get?

A normal year brings about 31 inches of snow to Dixon, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Dixon 1W weather station 1.9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (13.0 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	1.8	5.6	13.0	5.7	4.5	0.6	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 Dixon?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDVN (Quad Cities, IA), about 59 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 Dixon	View
KDVN Quad Cities, IA	59 mi west-southwest	4,500 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLOT Chicago, IL	74 mi east-southeast	6,100 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMKX Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI	91 mi north-northeast	8,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Dixon

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 102 tornadoes within 25 miles of Dixon, 14 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an EF4 on April 9, 2015, which passed about 10 miles east of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on July 15, 2024, which passed about 24 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 186 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 17 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on July 13, 2004.

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 Dixon'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.

Dixon radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Dixon, IL?

KDVN (Quad Cities, IA), about 59 miles west-southwest. KLOT (Chicago, IL) is 74 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Dixon?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Dixon the lowest scan from KDVN is about 4,500 ft up.

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

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