Staples, MN Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Staples What TALON shows

What weather hits Staples?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 80 days in the Wadena forecast zone and Wadena County — the most common reported hazard around Staples, mostly in December and March. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (55 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (49 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	80	Dec 2025	—
Damaging thunderstorm winds	55	Jun 2026	Sep 25, 1998 · $500,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	49	Jan 2026	Mar 8, 2003 · $21,000 damage
High winds	10	Feb 2025	Jun 11, 2008 · $150,000 damage
Flash flooding	9	Jun 2018	Jun 17, 2018 · $85,000 damage
Blizzards	7	Mar 2025	—
Flooding	4	Sep 2014	May 27, 2012 · $55,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	3	Dec 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 Wadena forecast zone and Wadena County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Staples?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMPX (Minneapolis, MN), about 121 miles south-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 Staples	View
KMPX Minneapolis, MN	121 mi south-southeast	13,000 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KDLH Duluth, MN	128 mi east-northeast	14,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMVX Grand Forks, ND	143 mi northwest	16,800 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 Staples

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 60 tornadoes within 25 miles of Staples, 14 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and June. The strongest was an EF4 on June 17, 2010, which passed about 24 miles west-northwest of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on June 16, 2025, which passed about 14 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 238 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 25 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on August 3, 2024.

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 Staples'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.

Staples radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Staples, MN?

KMPX (Minneapolis, MN), about 121 miles south-southeast. KDLH (Duluth, MN) is 128 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Staples?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Staples the lowest scan from KMPX is about 13,000 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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