Salem, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Salem What TALON shows

What weather hits Salem?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 105 days in the Marion forecast zone and Marion County — the most common reported hazard around Salem, mostly in June and May. Next come excessive heat (49 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (39 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	105	Jun 2026	May 27, 1996 · $250,000 damage
Excessive heat	49	Jul 2025	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	39	Jan 2025	—
Flash flooding	33	Jun 2026	Dec 26, 2015 · 5 deaths
Ice storms & sleet	4	Feb 2022	—
Flooding	4	Jun 2026	—
High winds	3	Feb 2014	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	3	Jan 2014	—

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

How much snow does Salem get?

A normal year brings about 10 inches of snow to Salem, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Salem weather station 1.1 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (3.9 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.1	0.6	2.9	3.9	2.5	0.2	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 Salem?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KVWX (Evansville, IN), about 72 miles east-southeast. 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 Salem	View
KVWX Evansville, IN	72 mi east-southeast	5,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLSX St. Louis, MO	93 mi west	8,600 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KILX Lincoln, IL	107 mi north	10,700 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 Salem

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 92 tornadoes within 25 miles of Salem, 22 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an EF4 on November 17, 2013, which passed about 20 miles west-southwest of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on April 30, 2025, which passed about 17 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 170 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 18 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on April 24, 2002.

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 Salem'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.

Salem radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Salem, IL?

KVWX (Evansville, IN), about 72 miles east-southeast. KLSX (St. Louis, MO) is 93 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Salem?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Salem the lowest scan from KVWX is about 5,900 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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