Trail Creek, IN Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Trail Creek, La Porte County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Trail Creek?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 123 days in the Northern La Porte forecast zone and La Porte County — the most common reported hazard around Trail Creek, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (8 days) and flash flooding (7 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 123 | May 2026 | Aug 4, 2008 · 1 death · $25,000 damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 8 | Feb 2026 | — |
| Flash flooding | 7 | Jul 2015 | Jul 28, 2009 · $250,000 damage |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 5 | Jul 2011 | Jul 11, 2011 · $15,000 damage |
| Flooding | 4 | Jul 2025 | Feb 20, 2018 · $500,000 damage |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 2 | Jan 2024 | — |
| Blizzards | 1 | Dec 2022 | — |
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 Northern La Porte forecast zone and La Porte County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Trail Creek get?
A normal year brings about 65 inches of snow to Trail Creek, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Laporte weather station 8.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (23.0 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2 | 4.0 | 13.8 | 23.0 | 16.0 | 7.1 | 1.1 | 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 Trail Creek?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLOT (Chicago, IL), about 64 miles west. 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 Trail Creek | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KLOT Chicago, IL | 64 mi west | 5,000 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KIWX Fort Wayne, IN | 64 mi east-southeast | 5,000 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KGRR Grand Rapids, MI | 106 mi northeast | 10,600 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 Trail Creek
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 66 tornadoes within 25 miles of Trail Creek, 18 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and March. The strongest was an F3 on October 24, 2001, which passed about 23 miles east-southeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on March 19, 2025, which touched down about 25 miles west-southwest of town.
Hail: 150 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 11 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on May 7, 2024.
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 Trail Creek'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.
Trail Creek radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Trail Creek, IN?
KLOT (Chicago, IL), about 64 miles west. KIWX (Fort Wayne, IN) is 64 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Trail Creek?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Trail Creek the lowest scan from KLOT is about 5,000 ft up.
Is TALON's radar for Trail Creek 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 Trail Creek, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Michigan City, IN radar 1 mi
- Long Beach, IN radar 3 mi
- La Porte, IN radar 10 mi
- Westville, IN radar 11 mi
- Chesterton, IN radar 12 mi
- Porter, IN radar 13 mi
- Burns Harbor, IN radar 15 mi
- Kingsford Heights, IN radar 17 mi
- New Carlisle, IN radar 18 mi
- Ogden Dunes, IN radar 18 mi