Colstrip, MT Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Colstrip What TALON shows

What weather hits Colstrip?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 104 days in the Northern Rosebud forecast zone and Rosebud County — the most common reported hazard around Colstrip, mostly in July and June. Next come high winds (65 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (57 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	104	Aug 2025	Jul 9, 2000 · $10,000 damage
High winds	65	May 2026	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	57	Apr 2026	—
Flash flooding	12	Aug 2013	May 26, 2010 · $130,000 damage
Flooding	10	Jun 2019	May 21, 2011 · $225,000 damage
Wildfires	4	Aug 2012	Jul 17, 1998 · $200,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	3	Jan 2009	—
Blizzards	3	Dec 2008	—

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

How much snow does Colstrip get?

A normal year brings about 37 inches of snow to Colstrip, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Colstrip weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually January (7.4 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
2.3	3.9	6.2	7.4	7.3	5.5	3.3	0.5

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

Which radars cover Colstrip?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBLX (Billings, MT), about 95 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 Colstrip	View
KBLX Billings, MT	95 mi west	8,900 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KGGW Glasgow, MT	160 mi north	20,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KRIW Riverton, WY	216 mi south-southwest	33,200 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 Colstrip

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 5 tornadoes within 25 miles of Colstrip. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an EF1 on June 7, 2018, which touched down about 24 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 83 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on June 14, 2006.

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 Colstrip'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.

Colstrip radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Colstrip, MT?

KBLX (Billings, MT), about 95 miles west. KGGW (Glasgow, MT) is 160 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Colstrip?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Colstrip the lowest scan from KBLX is about 8,900 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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