Merritt, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Merritt What TALON shows

What weather hits Merritt?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 55 days in the Scott forecast zone and Scott County — the most common reported hazard around Merritt, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (31 days) and flash flooding (29 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	55	Jun 2025	Aug 12, 1999 · $2.8 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	31	Jan 2026	—
Flash flooding	29	May 2024	Jun 19, 2011 · $850,000 damage
Excessive heat	15	Aug 2024	—
Flooding	11	Apr 2017	—
High winds	7	Nov 2019	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	6	Jan 2026	—
Blizzards	4	Dec 2012	Feb 1, 2011 · $21,000 damage

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

How much snow does Merritt get?

A normal year brings about 16 inches of snow to Merritt, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Jacksonville 2E weather station 11.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (5.1 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	1.0	3.5	5.1	4.3	2.0	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 Merritt?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KILX (Lincoln, IL), about 65 miles east-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 Merritt	View
KILX Lincoln, IL	65 mi east-northeast	5,100 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLSX St. Louis, MO	72 mi south-southwest	5,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDVN Quad Cities, IA	131 mi north	14,700 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 Merritt

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 100 tornadoes within 25 miles of Merritt, 23 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an F3 on April 24, 1961, which passed about 6 miles south of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on June 18, 2025, which touched down about 11 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 198 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 21 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on March 14, 2024.

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 Merritt'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.

Merritt radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Merritt, IL?

KILX (Lincoln, IL), about 65 miles east-northeast. KLSX (St. Louis, MO) is 72 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Merritt?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Merritt the lowest scan from KILX is about 5,100 ft up.

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

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