Arco, MN Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for ArcoWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Arco?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 59 days in the Lincoln forecast zone and Lincoln County — the most common reported hazard around Arco, mostly in December and March. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (50 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (40 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms59Mar 2024Jan 29, 2001 · $10,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds50Aug 2025Jun 4, 2020 · $321,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill40Dec 2025—
High winds37May 2026Jan 21, 2005 · $100,000 damage
Blizzards35Mar 2026Mar 1, 2007 · $100,000 damage
Flooding26Jun 2024Jun 1, 2019 · $25 million damage
Excessive heat17Jun 2026—
Flash flooding5Jun 2024—

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

How much snow does Arco get?

A normal year brings about 42 inches of snow to Arco, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Tyler weather station 7.9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually March (8.8 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.48.36.46.56.28.85.40.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Arco?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 61 miles south-southwest. 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over ArcoView
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		61 mi south-southwest4,700 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KABR
Aberdeen, SD		132 mi northwest14,800 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMPX
Minneapolis, MN		133 mi east-northeast14,900 ftLimited — 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 Arco

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 75 tornadoes within 25 miles of Arco, 9 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F4 on July 7, 1955, which passed about 7 miles north of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on September 23, 2023, which touched down about 24 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 278 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 33 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on July 28, 1986.

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 Arco'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.

Arco radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Arco, MN?

KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 61 miles south-southwest. KABR (Aberdeen, SD) is 132 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Arco?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Arco the lowest scan from KFSD is about 4,700 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Minnesota towns →