Joy, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Joy What TALON shows

What weather hits Joy?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 65 days in the Mercer forecast zone and Mercer County — the most common reported hazard around Joy, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (63 days) and flooding (36 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	65	Jun 2026	Jul 20, 2003 · $13 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	63	Nov 2025	—
Flooding	36	Jul 2024	May 20, 2003 · $1.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	12	Jan 2019	—
Flash flooding	12	Jul 2025	Apr 30, 2003 · $10 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	9	Dec 2024	Feb 24, 2007 · 1 death · $965,000 damage
High winds	7	Oct 2008	Apr 6, 1997 · $100,000 damage
Excessive heat	5	Aug 2013	—

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

How much snow does Joy get?

A normal year brings about 22 inches of snow to Joy, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Aledo weather station 7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (6.2 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.3	1.4	4.1	6.2	6.2	3.0	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 Joy?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDVN (Quad Cities, IA), about 33 miles north-northeast. 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 Joy	View
KDVN Quad Cities, IA	33 mi north-northeast	2,000 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KILX Lincoln, IL	108 mi southeast	10,900 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLOT Chicago, IL	148 mi east-northeast	17,700 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 Joy

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 126 tornadoes within 25 miles of Joy, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an EF3 on June 1, 2007, which passed about 16 miles west-northwest of town. The most recent was an EF2 on July 11, 2025, which passed about 22 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 240 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 22 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on May 8, 2003.

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 Joy'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.

Joy radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Joy, IL?

KDVN (Quad Cities, IA), about 33 miles north-northeast. KILX (Lincoln, IL) is 108 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Joy?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Joy the lowest scan from KDVN is about 2,000 ft up.

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

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