Plainwell, MI Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Plainwell What TALON shows

What weather hits Plainwell?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 137 days in the Allegan forecast zone and Allegan County — the most common reported hazard around Plainwell, mostly in January and December. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (117 days) and high winds (15 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	137	Jan 2026	Apr 14, 2018 · $100,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	117	Jun 2026	Jun 25, 2024 · $500,000 damage
High winds	15	Dec 2024	Mar 8, 2017 · $12 million damage
Flash flooding	13	Jul 2010	Jun 7, 2008 · 2 deaths · $4.0 million damage
Blizzards	8	Dec 2022	—
Flooding	6	Apr 2013	Apr 17, 2013 · $5.0 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	5	Feb 2023	Feb 5, 2019 · $2.0 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	1	Aug 2014	Aug 26, 2014 · $5,000 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 Allegan forecast zone and Allegan County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Plainwell?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGRR (Grand Rapids, MI), about 31 miles north. 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 Plainwell	View
KGRR Grand Rapids, MI	31 mi north	1,900 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KIWX Fort Wayne, IN	75 mi south	6,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDTX Detroit, MI	112 mi east	11,400 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 Plainwell

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 93 tornadoes within 25 miles of Plainwell, 26 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an F4 on April 2, 1977, which passed about 12 miles south-southeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on May 15, 2025, which passed about 19 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 124 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 21 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 Plainwell'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.

Plainwell radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Plainwell, MI?

KGRR (Grand Rapids, MI), about 31 miles north. KIWX (Fort Wayne, IN) is 75 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Plainwell?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Plainwell the lowest scan from KGRR is about 1,900 ft up.

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

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