Joplin, MO Live Doppler Radar

Watch storms move over Joplin in real time — every NWS radar combined, storm tracks, official warnings, and the closest radar's full 250 m detail.

Open live radar for Joplin What TALON shows

Which radars cover Joplin?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar to Joplin, MO is KSGF (Springfield), about 62 miles to the east. Radar beams climb as they travel because the Earth curves away underneath them, so the height of the lowest scan over a city decides how much of a storm's base the radar can see.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Joplin	View of low-level rotation
KSGF Springfield, MO	62 mi east	4,800 ft	Good — low-level rotation is usually visible
KINX Tulsa, OK	86 mi southwest	7,600 ft	Fair — the lowest scan is already well above the ground
KEAX Kansas City, MO	120 mi north	12,700 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms

Beam height is the center of the 0.5° scan above the radar, using standard atmospheric refraction. Hills and buildings near the radar can block it further.

On TALON you get Joplin's live radar loop, storm tracks with arrival times and NWS warnings free; close-up radar and rotation detection are part of TALON Pro.

Tornado & hail history near Joplin

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 153 tornadoes within 25 miles of Joplin, 32 of them rated EF2/F2 or stronger. They have been most common in May and April. The strongest was an EF5 on May 22, 2011, which passed about 3 miles south-southwest of the city and caused 158 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on April 29, 2025, which touched down about 24 miles southeast of the city.

Hail: 634 reports of hail 1 inch or larger within 25 miles of Joplin since 1955, 54 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest was 4.50-inch hail (grapefruit size) on May 6, 2003.

Tornadoes since 1950	153
EF2/F2 or stronger	32
Strongest tornado	EF5 · May 2011
Busiest tornado month	May
Largest hail	4.50 in · May 2003

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database — tornadoes 1950–2025, hail 1955–2025 (the latest year is preliminary). Distances are to each tornado's recorded track; ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita (F) scale.

Joplin radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Joplin?

KSGF near Springfield, MO, about 62 miles away. A second radar, KINX (Tulsa), is 86 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado over Joplin?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it can see the rotating storm and, once a tornado is lofting debris, a debris signature. Over Joplin the lowest scan from KSGF is roughly 4,800 ft up. Good — low-level rotation is usually visible. TALON combines that with NOAA's ProbSevere model to flag storms most likely to produce tornadoes.

How often do tornadoes hit Joplin?

NOAA records show 153 tornadoes within 25 miles of Joplin since 1950 — about 2.0 a year on average, most often in May and April. Most were weak, but 32 were EF2/F2 or stronger.

Should I rely on radar for my safety?

No app replaces official warnings. When the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for Joplin, take shelter right away — see watch vs. warning.