Howard, KS Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Howard What TALON shows

What weather hits Howard?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 52 days in the Elk forecast zone and Elk County — the most common reported hazard around Howard, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (31 days) and flash flooding (17 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	52	Jul 2025	May 8, 2009 · $180,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	31	Jan 2026	Jan 1, 1999 · $300,000 damage
Flash flooding	17	Apr 2024	Jul 1, 2007 · $27 million damage
Excessive heat	14	Jul 2021	—
Flooding	13	May 2024	Jun 13, 2008 · $10,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	6	Oct 2020	—
High winds	3	Mar 2025	—
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 Elk forecast zone and Elk County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Howard get?

A normal year brings about 6.4 inches of snow to Howard, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Howard weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually January (2.2 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.9	1.5	2.2	0.8	0.9	0.1	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 Howard?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KICT (Wichita, KS), about 66 miles west-northwest. 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 Howard	View
KICT Wichita, KS	66 mi west-northwest	5,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KINX Tulsa, OK	97 mi south-southeast	9,200 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KTWX Topeka, KS	106 mi north	10,400 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 Howard

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 78 tornadoes within 25 miles of Howard, 19 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an F4 on April 2, 1956, which passed about 7 miles northwest of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on April 30, 2024, which touched down about 21 miles south of town.

Hail: 331 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 34 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on May 4, 1991.

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 Howard'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.

Howard radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Howard, KS?

KICT (Wichita, KS), about 66 miles west-northwest. KINX (Tulsa, OK) is 97 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Howard?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Howard the lowest scan from KICT is about 5,200 ft up.

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

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