Fairmont, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

What weather hits Fairmont?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 199 days in the Northern Will forecast zone and Will County — the most common reported hazard around Fairmont, mostly in June and July. Next come flooding (63 days) and flash flooding (46 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds199Jun 2026Jun 24, 2013 · $800,000 damage
Flooding63Jun 2026Feb 20, 2018 · 1 death
Flash flooding46Aug 2025Jul 17, 1996 · 2 deaths
Lightning casualties & damage30Aug 2025Jul 28, 2021 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill9Jan 2026Jan 14, 2024 · 1 death
Excessive heat9Jun 2026—
Heavy snow & winter storms6Nov 2025—
High winds2Mar 2026—

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

How much snow does Fairmont get?

A normal year brings about 33 inches of snow to Fairmont, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Romeoville Wfo weather station 3.3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (10.6 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.11.27.510.68.74.20.90.0

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

Which radars cover Fairmont?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLOT (Chicago, IL), about 3 miles north-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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over FairmontView
KLOT
Chicago, IL
3 mi north-northwest200 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMKX
Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI
100 mi north-northwest9,700 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KILX
Lincoln, IL
118 mi southwest12,400 ftLimited — 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 Fairmont

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 191 tornadoes within 25 miles of Fairmont, 37 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and June. The strongest was an F5 on August 28, 1990, which passed about 4 miles southwest of town and caused 29 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on March 19, 2025, which touched down about 5 miles south of town.

Hail: 562 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 39 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 6.00-inch hail on April 23, 1961.

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 Fairmont'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.

Fairmont radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Fairmont, IL?

KLOT (Chicago, IL), about 3 miles north-northwest. KMKX (Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI) is 100 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Fairmont?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Fairmont the lowest scan from KLOT is about 200 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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