Elgin, KS Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Elgin What TALON shows

What weather hits Elgin?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 90 days in the Chautauqua forecast zone and Chautauqua County — the most common reported hazard around Elgin, mostly in May and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (30 days) and flash flooding (17 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	90	Apr 2026	May 31, 2013 · $100,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	30	Jan 2026	Jan 1, 1999 · $300,000 damage
Flash flooding	17	Aug 2025	Jun 11, 2007 · $100,000 damage
Excessive heat	14	Jul 2021	—
Flooding	13	May 2020	Oct 8, 2018 · $200 damage
Ice storms & sleet	6	Oct 2020	—
High winds	4	Mar 2025	Jun 20, 1998 · $2,000 damage
Blizzards	2	Feb 2011	—

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

How much snow does Elgin get?

A normal year brings about 7.2 inches of snow to Elgin, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Elgin weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually December (3.0 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.0	3.0	2.0	1.7	0.5	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 Elgin?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KINX (Tulsa, OK), about 70 miles 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 Elgin	View
KINX Tulsa, OK	70 mi southeast	5,600 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KICT Wichita, KS	78 mi northwest	6,700 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KVNX Vance AFB, OK	104 mi west	10,200 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 Elgin

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 90 tornadoes within 25 miles of Elgin, 21 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F4 on April 2, 1956, which passed about 24 miles northwest of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on April 2, 2025, which passed about 16 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 372 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 31 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on February 10, 2009.

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 Elgin'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.

Elgin radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Elgin, KS?

KINX (Tulsa, OK), about 70 miles southeast. KICT (Wichita, KS) is 78 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Elgin?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Elgin the lowest scan from KINX is about 5,600 ft up.

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

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