Plains, KS Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Plains What TALON shows

What weather hits Plains?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 93 days in the Meade forecast zone and Meade County — the most common reported hazard around Plains, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (41 days) and high winds (17 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	93	Aug 2025	May 24, 1998 · $1.9 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	41	Nov 2023	—
High winds	17	Feb 2026	Apr 11, 2001 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding	12	May 2019	May 5, 2019 · $1.0 million damage
Blizzards	8	Feb 2013	—
Ice storms & sleet	5	Jan 2017	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	3	Feb 2025	—
Flooding	2	May 2015	—

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

How much snow does Plains get?

A normal year brings about 17 inches of snow to Plains, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Meade weather station 13.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (4.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.2	1.5	4.7	4.6	2.0	3.5	0.4	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 Plains?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDDC (Dodge City, KS), about 48 miles northeast. 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 Plains	View
KDDC Dodge City, KS	48 mi northeast	3,400 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KVNX Vance AFB, OK	141 mi east-southeast	16,400 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KAMA Amarillo, TX	154 mi south-southwest	18,900 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 Plains

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 121 tornadoes within 25 miles of Plains, 21 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an F3 on June 6, 1951, which passed about 24 miles west-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on February 26, 2023, which passed about 25 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 663 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 92 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 6.00-inch hail on July 12, 1958.

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 Plains'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.

Plains radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Plains, KS?

KDDC (Dodge City, KS), about 48 miles northeast. KVNX (Vance AFB, OK) is 141 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Plains?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Plains the lowest scan from KDDC is about 3,400 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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