Colby, KS Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Colby What TALON shows

What weather hits Colby?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 147 days in the Thomas forecast zone and Thomas County — the most common reported hazard around Colby, mostly in June and July. Next come high winds (86 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (36 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	147	Jun 2026	Jul 1, 2024 · $100,000 damage
High winds	86	Jun 2026	May 26, 2012 · $174,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	36	Feb 2025	Mar 7, 2011 · 1 death · $15,000 damage
Dust storms	22	Apr 2026	Jan 16, 2014 · 3 deaths
Flash flooding	19	Jun 2026	Aug 4, 2011 · $20,000 damage
Blizzards	15	Mar 2025	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	13	Jan 2024	—
Flooding	8	Aug 2025	Sep 7, 2009 · $145,000 damage

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

How much snow does Colby get?

A normal year brings about 27 inches of snow to Colby, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Colby 1Sw weather station 1.4 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (5.8 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
1.6	3.5	3.9	5.1	5.8	4.2	2.2	0.7

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Colby?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGLD (Goodland, KS), about 35 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 Colby	View
KGLD Goodland, KS	35 mi west	2,200 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KDDC Dodge City, KS	126 mi south-southeast	13,800 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KUEX Hastings, NE	153 mi east-northeast	18,700 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 Colby

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 111 tornadoes within 25 miles of Colby, 8 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an F3 on May 4, 1960, which passed about 20 miles west of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on July 6, 2024, which passed about 25 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 587 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 84 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on July 12, 2010.

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 Colby'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.

Colby radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Colby, KS?

KGLD (Goodland, KS), about 35 miles west. KDDC (Dodge City, KS) is 126 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Colby?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Colby the lowest scan from KGLD is about 2,200 ft up.

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

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