Nelson, MO Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Nelson What TALON shows

What weather hits Nelson?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 111 days in the Saline forecast zone and Saline County — the most common reported hazard around Nelson, mostly in May and June. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (44 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (25 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Flooding	111	Jun 2019	Apr 22, 1999 · $500,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	44	Sep 2025	Jun 6, 1999 · $25,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	25	Jan 2026	—
Flash flooding	24	Jun 2021	Aug 4, 2004 · $300,000 damage
Excessive heat	15	Aug 2023	Jul 4, 2003 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill	9	Feb 2025	—
Ice storms & sleet	8	Feb 2019	Jan 30, 2002 · $400,000 damage
Blizzards	2	Nov 2018	—

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 Saline forecast zone and Saline County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Nelson get?

A normal year brings about 8.1 inches of snow to Nelson, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Marshall weather station 14.1 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (3.0 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.1	0.3	1.6	3.0	2.2	0.9	0.0	0.0

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

Which radars cover Nelson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KEAX (Kansas City, MO), about 68 miles west. 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 Nelson	View
KEAX Kansas City, MO	68 mi west	5,400 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KSGF Springfield, MO	123 mi south	13,300 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLSX St. Louis, MO	128 mi east	14,100 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 Nelson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 72 tornadoes within 25 miles of Nelson, 17 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F3 on May 4, 1977, which passed about 22 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF2 on April 2, 2025, which passed about 10 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 276 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 18 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on June 17, 2009.

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 Nelson'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.

Nelson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Nelson, MO?

KEAX (Kansas City, MO), about 68 miles west. KSGF (Springfield, MO) is 123 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Nelson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Nelson the lowest scan from KEAX is about 5,400 ft up.

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

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