Topeka, KS Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Topeka What TALON shows

Which radars cover Topeka?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar to Topeka, KS is KTWX (Topeka), about 30 miles to the west. 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 Topeka	View of low-level rotation
KTWX Topeka, KS	30 mi west	1,800 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan is close to the ground, where tornadoes form
KEAX Kansas City, MO	78 mi east-southeast	6,600 ft	Fair — the lowest scan is already well above the ground
KICT Wichita, KS	136 mi southwest	15,500 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms

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 Topeka'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 Topeka

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 158 tornadoes within 25 miles of Topeka, 47 of them rated EF2/F2 or stronger. They have been most common in May and June. The strongest was an F5 on June 8, 1966, which crossed near the city center and caused 16 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 19, 2024, which touched down about 16 miles south-southwest of the city.

Hail: 1,088 reports of hail 1 inch or larger within 25 miles of Topeka since 1955, 141 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest was 5.25-inch hail (grapefruit size) on May 21, 2011.

Tornadoes since 1950	158
EF2/F2 or stronger	47
Strongest tornado	F5 · Jun 1966
Busiest tornado month	May
Largest hail	5.25 in · May 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.

Topeka radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Topeka?

KTWX near Topeka, KS, about 30 miles away. A second radar, KEAX (Kansas City), is 78 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado over Topeka?

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 Topeka the lowest scan from KTWX is roughly 1,800 ft up. Excellent — the lowest scan is close to the ground, where tornadoes form. TALON combines that with NOAA's ProbSevere model to flag storms most likely to produce tornadoes.

How often do tornadoes hit Topeka?

NOAA records show 158 tornadoes within 25 miles of Topeka since 1950 — about 2.1 a year on average, most often in May and June. Most were weak, but 47 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 Topeka, take shelter right away — see watch vs. warning.