East St. Louis, IL Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for East St. Louis, St. Clair County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits East St. Louis?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 181 days in the St. Clair forecast zone and St. Clair County — the most common reported hazard around East St. Louis, mostly in July and June. Next come excessive heat (71 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (45 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 181 | Apr 2026 | Jul 13, 2016 · 1 death |
| Excessive heat | 71 | Aug 2025 | Jul 18, 1999 · 7 deaths |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 45 | Nov 2025 | — |
| Flash flooding | 42 | Jul 2025 | Jul 26, 2022 · $10 million damage |
| Flooding | 13 | Jun 2019 | Jun 2, 2019 · $8.1 million damage |
| High winds | 8 | Mar 2025 | Sep 26, 1996 · $50,000 damage |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 7 | Apr 2019 | Apr 18, 2019 · 1 death |
| Ice storms & sleet | 5 | Feb 2022 | — |
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 St. Clair forecast zone and St. Clair County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does East St. Louis get?
A normal year brings about 14 inches of snow to East St. Louis, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Cahokia weather station 4.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (4.9 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 4.9 | 3.7 | 1.2 | 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 East St. Louis?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLSX (St. Louis, MO), about 30 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.
| Radar | Distance | Lowest beam over East St. Louis | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KLSX St. Louis, MO | 30 mi west | 1,900 ft | Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground |
| KILX Lincoln, IL | 114 mi north-northeast | 11,800 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KPAH Paducah, KY | 130 mi southeast | 14,500 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 East St. Louis
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 182 tornadoes within 25 miles of East St. Louis, 53 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an F4 on February 10, 1959, which passed about 4 miles north-northwest of town and caused 21 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on June 4, 2025, which passed about 24 miles west of town.
Hail: 979 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 107 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 East St. Louis'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.
East St. Louis radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to East St. Louis, IL?
KLSX (St. Louis, MO), about 30 miles west. KILX (Lincoln, IL) is 114 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in East St. Louis?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over East St. Louis the lowest scan from KLSX is about 1,900 ft up.
Is TALON's radar for East St. Louis 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 East St. Louis, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.