Lester Prairie, MN Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lester PrairieWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Lester Prairie?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 100 days in the McLeod forecast zone and McLeod County — the most common reported hazard around Lester Prairie, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (87 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (25 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds100May 2026Sep 19, 2013 · $100,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms87Mar 2026—
Extreme cold & wind chill25Jan 2026—
Flash flooding16Aug 2016Jun 25, 2002 · $800,000 damage
Blizzards13Feb 2026Jan 26, 2014 · 1 death
High winds13Mar 2026—
Excessive heat13Aug 2023—
Flooding8Apr 2023Mar 15, 2010 · $190,000 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 McLeod forecast zone and McLeod County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Lester Prairie?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMPX (Minneapolis, MN), about 23 miles east. 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 Lester PrairieView
KMPX
Minneapolis, MN		23 mi east1,300 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KARX
La Crosse, WI		159 mi east-southeast19,900 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		161 mi west-southwest20,300 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 Lester Prairie

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 104 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lester Prairie, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F4 on May 6, 1965, which passed about 15 miles east of town and caused 3 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on June 28, 2025, which passed about 15 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 450 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 64 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 Lester 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.

Lester Prairie radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lester Prairie, MN?

KMPX (Minneapolis, MN), about 23 miles east. KARX (La Crosse, WI) is 159 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lester Prairie?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lester Prairie the lowest scan from KMPX is about 1,300 ft up.

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

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