Sims, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Sims What TALON shows

What weather hits Sims?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged dangerous heat on 74 days in the Wayne forecast zone and Wayne County — the most common reported hazard around Sims, mostly in July and August. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (68 days) and flooding (66 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Excessive heat	74	Aug 2025	Jul 18, 1999 · 2 deaths
Damaging thunderstorm winds	68	Sep 2025	Apr 2, 2006 · $500,000 damage
Flooding	66	Jul 2025	Dec 24, 2013 · 1 death · $20,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	40	Jan 2026	Jan 26, 2009 · $500,000 damage
Flash flooding	33	Jul 2025	Jul 7, 2011 · $100,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	23	Jan 2026	—
High winds	8	Feb 2009	Feb 11, 2009 · $15,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	6	Jan 2025	—

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

How much snow does Sims get?

A normal year brings about 12 inches of snow to Sims, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Cisne 2 S weather station 12 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (3.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.2	3.7	3.4	2.9	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 Sims?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KVWX (Evansville, IN), about 45 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 Sims	View
KVWX Evansville, IN	45 mi east	3,000 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KPAH Paducah, KY	90 mi south	8,200 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLSX St. Louis, MO	118 mi west-northwest	12,500 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 Sims

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 89 tornadoes within 25 miles of Sims, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in March and April. The strongest was an F4 on December 18, 1957, which passed about 13 miles west of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF2 on May 26, 2024, which passed about 24 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 147 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 15 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 Sims'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.

Sims radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Sims, IL?

KVWX (Evansville, IN), about 45 miles east. KPAH (Paducah, KY) is 90 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Sims?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Sims the lowest scan from KVWX is about 3,000 ft up.

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

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