Russell, KS Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Russell What TALON shows

What weather hits Russell?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 161 days in the Russell forecast zone and Russell County — the most common reported hazard around Russell, mostly in June and July. Next come high winds (55 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (33 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	161	Jun 2026	Jul 3, 2024 · 1 death
High winds	55	Mar 2026	Apr 11, 2001 · $750,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	33	Jan 2026	Jan 4, 2005 · $30 million damage
Flash flooding	15	May 2026	Sep 11, 2008 · $10,000 damage
Flooding	15	Jun 2022	Sep 4, 2018 · $100,000 damage
Excessive heat	7	Aug 2011	—
Blizzards	5	Mar 2025	—
Ice storms & sleet	4	Jan 2017	Dec 23, 2009 · 1 death · $20,000 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 Russell forecast zone and Russell County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Russell?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDDC (Dodge City, KS), about 99 miles southwest. 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 Russell	View
KDDC Dodge City, KS	99 mi southwest	9,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KUEX Hastings, NE	101 mi north-northeast	9,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KICT Wichita, KS	114 mi southeast	11,800 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 Russell

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 146 tornadoes within 25 miles of Russell, 19 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and July. The strongest was an F4 on April 21, 2001, which passed about 22 miles south-southeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on May 19, 2024, which touched down about 2 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 628 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 76 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on May 1, 2018.

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 Russell'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.

Russell radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Russell, KS?

KDDC (Dodge City, KS), about 99 miles southwest. KUEX (Hastings, NE) is 101 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Russell?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Russell the lowest scan from KDDC is about 9,400 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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