Cates, IN Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Cates What TALON shows

What weather hits Cates?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 85 days in the Fountain forecast zone and Fountain County — the most common reported hazard around Cates, mostly in April and June. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (75 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (37 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Flooding	85	Jun 2015	Jun 13, 2015 · 1 death · $500 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	75	Jun 2026	May 9, 2000 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms	37	Jan 2026	—
Flash flooding	17	Jun 2026	Jul 1, 2021 · $500,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	7	Jan 2026	—
High winds	4	Nov 2019	—
Excessive heat	2	Aug 2023	—
Ice storms & sleet	2	Feb 2007	—

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

How much snow does Cates get?

A normal year brings about 19 inches of snow to Cates, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Perrysville 4 Wnw weather station 10.4 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (5.6 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	1.0	4.5	5.6	5.2	2.6	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 Cates?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KIND (Indianapolis, IN), about 60 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 Cates	View
KIND Indianapolis, IN	60 mi east-southeast	4,500 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KILX Lincoln, IL	106 mi west	10,500 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLOT Chicago, IL	118 mi north-northwest	12,300 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 Cates

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 97 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cates, 24 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an F4 on April 11, 1965, which passed about 25 miles east of town and caused 28 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 20, 2025, which touched down about 22 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 230 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 35 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 18, 2000.

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 Cates'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.

Cates radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cates, IN?

KIND (Indianapolis, IN), about 60 miles east-southeast. KILX (Lincoln, IL) is 106 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Cates?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cates the lowest scan from KIND is about 4,500 ft up.

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

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