Melvin, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Melvin What TALON shows

What weather hits Melvin?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 72 days in the Ford forecast zone and Ford County — the most common reported hazard around Melvin, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (30 days) and flooding (19 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	72	Jun 2026	Jun 21, 2010 · $750,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	30	Dec 2025	—
Flooding	19	Apr 2026	Jan 8, 2008 · $500,000 damage
Flash flooding	17	Aug 2023	Aug 12, 2021 · $12 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	16	Jan 2026	—
High winds	15	May 2025	Mar 4, 2025 · $1,000 damage
Excessive heat	9	Jun 2026	—
Blizzards	2	Feb 2011	—

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

How much snow does Melvin get?

A normal year brings about 18 inches of snow to Melvin, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Gibson City weather station 9.2 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (6.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.1	1.1	4.6	6.7	4.1	1.4	0.3	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 Melvin?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KILX (Lincoln, IL), about 64 miles west-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 Melvin	View
KILX Lincoln, IL	64 mi west-southwest	5,000 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLOT Chicago, IL	72 mi north	5,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KIND Indianapolis, IN	120 mi east-southeast	12,700 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 Melvin

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 124 tornadoes within 25 miles of Melvin, 20 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and April. The strongest was an F3 on April 7, 1954, which passed about 23 miles north-northwest of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on December 28, 2025, which touched down about 15 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 129 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on March 12, 2006.

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 Melvin'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.

Melvin radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Melvin, IL?

KILX (Lincoln, IL), about 64 miles west-southwest. KLOT (Chicago, IL) is 72 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Melvin?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Melvin the lowest scan from KILX is about 5,000 ft up.

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

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