Donaldson, MN Live Doppler Radar

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

What weather hits Donaldson?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged blizzard conditions on 79 days in the Kittson forecast zone and Kittson County — the most common reported hazard around Donaldson, mostly in January and December. Next come extreme cold & wind chill (72 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (64 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Blizzards79Jan 2026Apr 5, 1997 · $5.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill72Jan 2026Mar 8, 2003 · $21,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms64Mar 2026—
Damaging thunderstorm winds57Jun 2024Jul 20, 2011 · $800,000 damage
Flooding33May 2023Apr 21, 1997 · $5.0 million damage
High winds21May 2026Sep 19, 2017 · $5,000 damage
Flash flooding14Jul 2020Jul 4, 2020 · $550,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet4Feb 2009Apr 4, 1997 · $2.0 million 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 Kittson forecast zone and Kittson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Donaldson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 75 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 DonaldsonView
KMVX
Grand Forks, ND
75 mi south-southwest6,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMBX
Minot AFB, ND
182 mi west25,000 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS
Bismarck, ND
219 mi west-southwest34,000 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 Donaldson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 62 tornadoes within 25 miles of Donaldson, 5 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an EF2 on September 19, 2014, which passed about 18 miles north of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 19, 2022, which touched down about 21 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 155 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 18 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on August 27, 1990.

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 Donaldson'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.

Donaldson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Donaldson, MN?

KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 75 miles south-southwest. KMBX (Minot AFB, ND) is 182 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Donaldson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Donaldson the lowest scan from KMVX is about 6,300 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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