Mason City, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Mason City What TALON shows

What weather hits Mason City?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 94 days in the Mason forecast zone and Mason County — the most common reported hazard around Mason City, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (38 days) and flash flooding (17 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	94	Jun 2026	Aug 12, 1999 · $12 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	38	Dec 2025	—
Flash flooding	17	Feb 2023	—
Excessive heat	14	Aug 2024	—
Flooding	10	Apr 2017	May 12, 2002 · 1 death
High winds	8	Mar 2025	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	8	Jan 2024	—
Ice storms & sleet	7	Jan 2021	—

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

How much snow does Mason City get?

A normal year brings about 13 inches of snow to Mason City, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Mason City 4Se weather station 3.6 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (5.5 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.3	2.6	5.5	2.8	1.7	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 Mason City?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KILX (Lincoln, IL), about 19 miles east. 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 Mason City	View
KILX Lincoln, IL	19 mi east	1,100 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KDVN Quad Cities, IA	108 mi north-northwest	10,800 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLSX St. Louis, MO	116 mi south-southwest	12,100 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 Mason City

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 148 tornadoes within 25 miles of Mason City, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and April. The strongest was an F4 on May 5, 1977, which passed about 24 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on September 20, 2025, which touched down about 2 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 208 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 18 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.75-inch hail on August 18, 2001.

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 Mason City'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.

Mason City radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Mason City, IL?

KILX (Lincoln, IL), about 19 miles east. KDVN (Quad Cities, IA) is 108 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Mason City?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Mason City the lowest scan from KILX is about 1,100 ft up.

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

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