Crystal, ND Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Crystal What TALON shows

What weather hits Crystal?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged blizzard conditions on 87 days in the Pembina forecast zone and Pembina County — the most common reported hazard around Crystal, mostly in January and December. Next come extreme cold & wind chill (75 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (71 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Blizzards	87	Jan 2026	Jan 26, 2014 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill	75	Jan 2026	Mar 8, 2003 · $50,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	71	Mar 2026	Nov 6, 2000 · $2,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	59	Jun 2026	Jun 19, 2005 · $2.0 million damage
Flooding	37	May 2023	Apr 21, 1997 · $20 million damage
High winds	23	Feb 2025	Nov 1, 1999 · $40,000 damage
Flash flooding	13	Jun 2023	Sep 20, 2019 · $10 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	5	Feb 2009	Apr 4, 1997 · $6.0 million 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 Pembina forecast zone and Pembina County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Crystal?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 76 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 Crystal	View
KMVX Grand Forks, ND	76 mi south-southeast	6,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMBX Minot AFB, ND	147 mi west	17,600 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS Bismarck, ND	191 mi southwest	27,100 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 Crystal

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 77 tornadoes within 25 miles of Crystal, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F4 on June 6, 1999, which passed about 5 miles west of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on May 15, 2025, which touched down about 8 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 233 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 34 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on August 27, 1990.

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 Crystal'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.

Crystal radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Crystal, ND?

KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 76 miles south-southeast. KMBX (Minot AFB, ND) is 147 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Crystal?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Crystal the lowest scan from KMVX is about 6,300 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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