Elsah, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Elsah What TALON shows

What weather hits Elsah?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 61 days in the Jersey forecast zone and Jersey County — the most common reported hazard around Elsah, mostly in May and June. Next come excessive heat (48 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (47 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	61	Jul 2025	Aug 3, 2022 · $5,000 damage
Excessive heat	48	Aug 2025	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	47	Nov 2025	—
Flooding	16	Jun 2019	Apr 19, 2013 · $25,000 damage
Flash flooding	16	Apr 2026	Dec 26, 2015 · 1 death
High winds	6	Mar 2025	Mar 14, 2025 · $10,000 damage
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 Jersey forecast zone and Jersey County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Elsah get?

A normal year brings about 13 inches of snow to Elsah, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Jerseyville 2 Sw weather station 10.3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (4.3 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.7	2.2	4.3	3.7	1.6	0.0	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 Elsah?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLSX (St. Louis, MO), about 25 miles 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 Elsah	View
KLSX St. Louis, MO	25 mi southwest	1,500 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KILX Lincoln, IL	99 mi north-northeast	9,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KVWX Evansville, IN	150 mi east-southeast	18,200 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 Elsah

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 138 tornadoes within 25 miles of Elsah, 36 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F4 on February 10, 1959, which passed about 22 miles south-southeast of town and caused 21 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on June 4, 2025, which passed about 23 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 671 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 82 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 Elsah'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.

Elsah radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Elsah, IL?

KLSX (St. Louis, MO), about 25 miles southwest. KILX (Lincoln, IL) is 99 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Elsah?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Elsah the lowest scan from KLSX is about 1,500 ft up.

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

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