La Prairie, MN Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for La Prairie, Itasca County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits La Prairie?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 107 days in the South Itasca forecast zone and Itasca County — the most common reported hazard around La Prairie, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (75 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (43 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 107 | Jun 2026 | Jul 2, 2012 · 1 death |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 75 | Apr 2026 | — |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 43 | Jan 2026 | Jan 3, 2011 · 1 death |
| Flash flooding | 11 | Jun 2025 | Aug 16, 2022 · $10,000 damage |
| Ice storms & sleet | 6 | Dec 2016 | — |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 4 | Jun 2007 | Jun 8, 2007 · 1 death |
| Flooding | 2 | Jul 2017 | — |
| Excessive heat | 1 | Jul 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 South Itasca forecast zone and Itasca County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does La Prairie get?
A normal year brings about 60 inches of snow to La Prairie, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Grand Rpds Forest Lab weather station 1 mile away. The snowiest month is usually December (13.4 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 | 9.0 | 13.4 | 12.2 | 9.7 | 7.5 | 5.6 | 0.2 |
Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.
Which radars cover La Prairie?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDLH (Duluth, MN), about 66 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 La Prairie | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KDLH Duluth, MN | 66 mi east-southeast | 5,200 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KMPX Minneapolis, MN | 165 mi south | 21,100 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KMVX Grand Forks, ND | 181 mi west | 24,600 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 La Prairie
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 16 tornadoes within 25 miles of La Prairie, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and September. The strongest was an F4 on August 6, 1969, which passed about 18 miles south-southwest of town and caused 12 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 30, 2022, which touched down about 8 miles west of town.
Hail: 131 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on June 20, 2025.
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 La Prairie'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.
La Prairie radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to La Prairie, MN?
KDLH (Duluth, MN), about 66 miles east-southeast. KMPX (Minneapolis, MN) is 165 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in La Prairie?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over La Prairie the lowest scan from KDLH is about 5,200 ft up.
Is TALON's radar for La Prairie 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 La Prairie, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Grand Rapids, MN radar 2 mi
- Coleraine, MN radar 3 mi
- Cohasset, MN radar 8 mi
- Hibbing, MN radar 28 mi
- Chisholm, MN radar 34 mi
- Mountain Iron, MN radar 46 mi
- Eveleth, MN radar 47 mi
- Crosslake, MN radar 48 mi
- Aitkin, MN radar 50 mi
- Virginia, MN radar 50 mi