Atwater, MN Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Atwater What TALON shows

What weather hits Atwater?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 80 days in the Kandiyohi forecast zone and Kandiyohi County — the most common reported hazard around Atwater, mostly in March and December. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (70 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (36 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	80	Mar 2026	—
Damaging thunderstorm winds	70	Jun 2026	May 12, 2022 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill	36	Jan 2026	—
Blizzards	30	Dec 2025	—
High winds	14	Mar 2026	—
Excessive heat	12	Aug 2023	Jul 23, 1999 · 1 death
Flash flooding	9	Aug 2016	Aug 10, 2016 · $250,000 damage
Flooding	6	Aug 2016	—

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

How much snow does Atwater get?

A normal year brings about 46 inches of snow to Atwater, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Willmar Wwtp weather station 12.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (10.1 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.5	7.8	10.1	9.2	7.8	6.9	3.8	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 Atwater?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMPX (Minneapolis, MN), about 62 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 Atwater	View
KMPX Minneapolis, MN	62 mi east-southeast	4,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KFSD Sioux Falls, SD	144 mi southwest	17,000 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KDLH Duluth, MN	170 mi northeast	22,400 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 Atwater

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 86 tornadoes within 25 miles of Atwater, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an EF3 on July 11, 2008, which passed about 11 miles west-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 25, 2023, which touched down about 14 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 257 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 44 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on July 1, 2011.

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 Atwater'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.

Atwater radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Atwater, MN?

KMPX (Minneapolis, MN), about 62 miles east-southeast. KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD) is 144 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Atwater?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Atwater the lowest scan from KMPX is about 4,800 ft up.

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

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