Viola, IL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Viola What TALON shows

What weather hits Viola?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 65 days in the Mercer forecast zone and Mercer County — the most common reported hazard around Viola, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (63 days) and flooding (36 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	65	Jun 2026	Jul 20, 2003 · $13 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	63	Nov 2025	—
Flooding	36	Jul 2024	May 20, 2003 · $1.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	12	Jan 2019	—
Flash flooding	12	Jul 2025	Apr 30, 2003 · $10 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	9	Dec 2024	Feb 24, 2007 · 1 death · $965,000 damage
High winds	7	Oct 2008	Apr 6, 1997 · $100,000 damage
Excessive heat	5	Aug 2013	—

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

How much snow does Viola get?

A normal year brings about 22 inches of snow to Viola, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Aledo weather station 8.3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (6.2 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.3	1.4	4.1	6.2	6.2	3.0	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 Viola?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDVN (Quad Cities, IA), about 28 miles north. 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 Viola	View
KDVN Quad Cities, IA	28 mi north	1,700 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KILX Lincoln, IL	98 mi southeast	9,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLOT Chicago, IL	133 mi east-northeast	14,900 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 Viola

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 144 tornadoes within 25 miles of Viola, 29 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and June. The strongest was an F3 on June 14, 1974, which crossed near town. The most recent was an EF2 on July 11, 2025, which passed about 21 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 317 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 34 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 9, 1995.

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 Viola'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.

Viola radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Viola, IL?

KDVN (Quad Cities, IA), about 28 miles north. KILX (Lincoln, IL) is 98 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Viola?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Viola the lowest scan from KDVN is about 1,700 ft up.

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

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