Searles, MN Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Searles What TALON shows

What weather hits Searles?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 76 days in the Brown forecast zone and Brown County — the most common reported hazard around Searles, mostly in January and March. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (54 days) and blizzards (35 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	76	Nov 2025	—
Damaging thunderstorm winds	54	Jul 2025	Jul 20, 1998 · $11 million damage
Blizzards	35	Mar 2026	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	35	Jan 2026	Jan 2, 2014 · 1 death
High winds	16	Mar 2026	—
Flooding	15	May 2023	Jun 18, 2014 · $850,000 damage
Excessive heat	12	Aug 2023	—
Flash flooding	4	Jun 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 Brown forecast zone and Brown County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Searles get?

A normal year brings about 38 inches of snow to Searles, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the New Ulm 2 Se weather station 5.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (9.0 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.5	6.5	9.0	7.8	6.9	6.0	1.5	0.1

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

Which radars cover Searles?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMPX (Minneapolis, MN), about 61 miles northeast. 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 Searles	View
KMPX Minneapolis, MN	61 mi northeast	4,600 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KFSD Sioux Falls, SD	122 mi west-southwest	13,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KARX La Crosse, WI	164 mi east	20,900 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 Searles

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 102 tornadoes within 25 miles of Searles, 15 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and August. The strongest was an F4 on March 29, 1998, which crossed near town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on September 4, 2025, which passed about 14 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 264 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 31 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on March 29, 1998.

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 Searles'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.

Searles radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Searles, MN?

KMPX (Minneapolis, MN), about 61 miles northeast. KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD) is 122 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Searles?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Searles the lowest scan from KMPX is about 4,600 ft up.

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

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