Salina, KS Live Doppler Radar

Watch storms move over Salina in real time — every NWS radar combined, storm tracks, official warnings, and the closest radar's full 250 m detail.

Open live radar for Salina What TALON shows

Which radars cover Salina?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar to Salina, KS is KTWX (Topeka), about 75 miles to the east. Radar beams climb as they travel because the Earth curves away underneath them, so the height of the lowest scan over a city decides how much of a storm's base the radar can see.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Salina	View of low-level rotation
KTWX Topeka, KS	75 mi east	6,300 ft	Fair — the lowest scan is already well above the ground
KICT Wichita, KS	82 mi south	7,200 ft	Fair — the lowest scan is already well above the ground
KUEX Hastings, NE	111 mi north-northwest	11,300 ft	Fair — the lowest scan is already well above the ground

Beam height is the center of the 0.5° scan above the radar, using standard atmospheric refraction. Hills and buildings near the radar can block it further.

On TALON you get Salina's live radar loop, storm tracks with arrival times and NWS warnings free; close-up radar and rotation detection are part of TALON Pro.

Tornado & hail history near Salina

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 110 tornadoes within 25 miles of Salina, 22 of them rated EF2/F2 or stronger. They have been most common in May and June. The strongest was an EF4 on May 25, 2016, which passed about 14 miles northeast of the city. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on April 1, 2025, which touched down about 22 miles west-southwest of the city.

Hail: 677 reports of hail 1 inch or larger within 25 miles of Salina since 1955, 68 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest was 4.50-inch hail (grapefruit size) on June 1, 2011.

Tornadoes since 1950	110
EF2/F2 or stronger	22
Strongest tornado	EF4 · May 2016
Busiest tornado month	May
Largest hail	4.50 in · Jun 2011

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database — tornadoes 1950–2025, hail 1955–2025 (the latest year is preliminary). Distances are to each tornado's recorded track; ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita (F) scale.

Salina radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Salina?

KTWX near Topeka, KS, about 75 miles away. A second radar, KICT (Wichita), is 82 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado over Salina?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it can see the rotating storm and, once a tornado is lofting debris, a debris signature. Over Salina the lowest scan from KTWX is roughly 6,300 ft up. Fair — the lowest scan is already well above the ground. TALON combines that with NOAA's ProbSevere model to flag storms most likely to produce tornadoes.

How often do tornadoes hit Salina?

NOAA records show 110 tornadoes within 25 miles of Salina since 1950 — about 1.4 a year on average, most often in May and June. Most were weak, but 22 were EF2/F2 or stronger.

Should I rely on radar for my safety?

No app replaces official warnings. When the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for Salina, take shelter right away — see watch vs. warning.