Stearns, KY Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Stearns What TALON shows

What weather hits Stearns?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 100 days in the McCreary forecast zone and McCreary County — the most common reported hazard around Stearns, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (28 days) and flash flooding (20 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	100	Aug 2024	Sep 6, 2018 · $2.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	28	Jan 2026	Feb 3, 1998 · 1 death
Flash flooding	20	Jun 2020	Mar 17, 2002 · $10,000 damage
Flooding	16	Mar 2021	Feb 5, 2020 · $70,000 damage
High winds	7	Sep 2024	Jan 9, 2008 · $30,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	5	Feb 2021	—
Excessive heat	3	Aug 2010	—

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

How much snow does Stearns get?

A normal year brings about 5.5 inches of snow to Stearns, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Oneida weather station 13.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (2.2 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.0	1.0	2.2	1.5	0.8	0.0	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 Stearns?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMRX (Knoxville, TN), about 70 miles east-southeast. 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 Stearns	View
KMRX Knoxville, TN	70 mi east-southeast	5,700 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KJKL Jackson, KY	89 mi northeast	8,100 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLVX Louisville, KY	120 mi northwest	12,700 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 Stearns

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 34 tornadoes within 25 miles of Stearns, 22 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an EF4 on May 16, 2025, which passed about 24 miles north of town and caused 18 deaths.

Hail: 153 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 16 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on September 24, 2024.

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 Stearns'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.

Stearns radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Stearns, KY?

KMRX (Knoxville, TN), about 70 miles east-southeast. KJKL (Jackson, KY) is 89 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Stearns?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Stearns the lowest scan from KMRX is about 5,700 ft up.

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

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