Helena, MT Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for HelenaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Helena?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 61 days in the Helena Valley forecast zone and Lewis and Clark County — the most common reported hazard around Helena, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (18 days) and flooding (14 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds61Sep 2025Jun 20, 2003 · $10,000 damage
Flash flooding18Sep 2024Jul 3, 2022 · $700,000 damage
Flooding14Jun 2023Apr 9, 2023 · $100,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms13Mar 2026—
High winds11Apr 2026—
Wildfires5Sep 2000Jul 23, 2000 · $2.5 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage3Jun 2023—
Debris flows3Jul 2025Jul 31, 2025 · $11,000 damage

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 Helena Valley forecast zone and Lewis and Clark County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Helena get?

A normal year brings about 37 inches of snow to Helena, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Helena Rgnl Ap weather station 2.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (7.7 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
2.85.47.76.66.64.62.90.1

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

Which radars cover Helena?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KTFX (Great Falls, MT), about 67 miles north-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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over HelenaView
KTFX
Great Falls, MT		67 mi north-northeast5,300 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMSX
Missoula, MT		98 mi west-northwest9,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KBLX
Billings, MT		171 mi east-southeast22,500 ftLimited — 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 Helena

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 5 tornadoes within 25 miles of Helena. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F0 on July 22, 1960, which touched down near town. The most recent was an F0 on June 27, 1997, which touched down near town.

Hail: 82 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on June 6, 1997.

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 Helena'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.

Helena radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Helena, MT?

KTFX (Great Falls, MT), about 67 miles north-northeast. KMSX (Missoula, MT) is 98 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Helena?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Helena the lowest scan from KTFX is about 5,300 ft up.

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

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