Decatur, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Decatur What TALON shows

What weather hits Decatur?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 126 days in the Van Buren forecast zone and Van Buren County — the most common reported hazard around Decatur, mostly in January and December. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (93 days) and high winds (14 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	126	Jan 2026	Feb 24, 2016 · $25,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	93	Jun 2026	Jun 13, 2022 · $3.0 million damage
High winds	14	Dec 2024	Mar 8, 2017 · $10 million damage
Flash flooding	7	Aug 2011	May 18, 2000 · $150,000 damage
Blizzards	5	Dec 2022	—
Ice storms & sleet	4	Feb 2023	Feb 22, 2023 · 1 death · $100,000 damage
Flooding	3	Apr 2013	Apr 17, 2013 · $3.0 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	2	Jul 2011	Sep 19, 1997 · $200,000 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 Van Buren forecast zone and Van Buren County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Decatur?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KIWX (Fort Wayne, IN), about 54 miles south-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 Decatur	View
KIWX Fort Wayne, IN	54 mi south-southeast	3,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KGRR Grand Rapids, MI	59 mi north-northeast	4,400 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLOT Chicago, IL	114 mi west-southwest	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 Decatur

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 79 tornadoes within 25 miles of Decatur, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on April 2, 1977, which passed about 25 miles east-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on March 30, 2025, which touched down about 20 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 151 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 17 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on March 27, 1991.

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 Decatur'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.

Decatur radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Decatur, MI?

KIWX (Fort Wayne, IN), about 54 miles south-southeast. KGRR (Grand Rapids, MI) is 59 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Decatur?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Decatur the lowest scan from KIWX is about 3,900 ft up.

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

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