Pontiac, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Pontiac What TALON shows

What weather hits Pontiac?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 95 days in the Livingston forecast zone and Livingston County — the most common reported hazard around Pontiac, mostly in May and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (42 days) and flooding (23 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	95	Jun 2026	Jun 14, 2000 · $150,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	42	Nov 2025	—
Flooding	23	Jun 2025	Jan 8, 2008 · 1 death · $2.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	17	Jan 2026	—
Flash flooding	17	Apr 2026	Aug 28, 2016 · $10,000 damage
High winds	15	May 2024	—
Excessive heat	13	Jun 2026	—
Ice storms & sleet	3	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 Livingston forecast zone and Livingston County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Pontiac get?

A normal year brings about 25 inches of snow to Pontiac, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Pontiac weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually February (8.0 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.7	5.7	6.7	8.0	3.4	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 Pontiac?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLOT (Chicago, IL), about 57 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 Pontiac	View
KLOT Chicago, IL	57 mi north-northeast	4,300 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KILX Lincoln, IL	63 mi southwest	4,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDVN Quad Cities, IA	112 mi west-northwest	11,500 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 Pontiac

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 109 tornadoes within 25 miles of Pontiac, 25 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an EF4 on November 17, 2013, which passed about 13 miles northwest of town and caused 3 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on December 28, 2025, which touched down near town.

Hail: 130 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on May 15, 2025.

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 Pontiac'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.

Pontiac radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Pontiac, IL?

KLOT (Chicago, IL), about 57 miles north-northeast. KILX (Lincoln, IL) is 63 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Pontiac?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Pontiac the lowest scan from KLOT is about 4,300 ft up.

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

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