Iola, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Iola What TALON shows

What weather hits Iola?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 107 days in the Clay forecast zone and Clay County — the most common reported hazard around Iola, mostly in June and May. Next come flash flooding (53 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (22 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	107	Jun 2026	May 31, 2018 · $175,000 damage
Flash flooding	53	Jun 2026	Jun 23, 2013 · $9.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	22	Jan 2026	—
Excessive heat	14	Aug 2023	Jul 18, 2019 · 1 death
Flooding	11	Jun 2018	—
High winds	7	Mar 2026	Mar 14, 2019 · $15,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	6	Mar 2014	Feb 1, 2011 · $800,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	5	Jan 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 Clay forecast zone and Clay County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Iola get?

A normal year brings about 8.3 inches of snow to Iola, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Flora 5 Nw weather station 9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (3.1 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.4	1.7	3.1	1.7	1.4	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 Iola?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KVWX (Evansville, IN), about 63 miles southeast. 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 Iola	View
KVWX Evansville, IN	63 mi southeast	4,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KILX Lincoln, IL	98 mi north-northwest	9,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLSX St. Louis, MO	111 mi west	11,300 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 Iola

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 93 tornadoes within 25 miles of Iola, 25 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F4 on June 2, 1990, which passed about 21 miles east-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF2 on April 30, 2025, which passed about 21 miles west of town.

Hail: 160 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 11 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on April 24, 2002.

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 Iola'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.

Iola radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Iola, IL?

KVWX (Evansville, IN), about 63 miles southeast. KILX (Lincoln, IL) is 98 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Iola?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Iola the lowest scan from KVWX is about 4,900 ft up.

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

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