Elgin, ND Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Elgin What TALON shows

What weather hits Elgin?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged high winds on 65 days in the Grant forecast zone and Grant County — the most common reported hazard around Elgin, mostly in October and March. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (56 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (47 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
High winds	65	Mar 2026	Jan 13, 2021 · $75,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	56	Apr 2026	Apr 2, 2010 · $11 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	47	Jun 2026	May 16, 1996 · $1.5 million damage
Blizzards	33	Apr 2023	Jan 9, 1997 · $1.5 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	23	Feb 2025	—
Flooding	5	Apr 2009	Mar 6, 2009 · $342,000 damage
Flash flooding	4	Jun 2021	Jun 8, 2021 · $150,000 damage
Wildfires	2	Jul 2006	—

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

How much snow does Elgin get?

A normal year brings about 57 inches of snow to Elgin, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Elgin weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually March (12.4 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
4.1	8.3	8.9	8.4	8.9	12.4	5.4	0.3

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

Which radars cover Elgin?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBIS (Bismarck, ND), about 58 miles east-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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Elgin	View
KBIS Bismarck, ND	58 mi east-northeast	4,300 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMBX Minot AFB, ND	145 mi north-northeast	17,200 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KUDX Rapid City, SD	164 mi south-southwest	21,100 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 Elgin

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 41 tornadoes within 25 miles of Elgin, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F4 on July 4, 1978, which crossed near town and caused 5 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on July 12, 2019, which touched down about 22 miles west of town.

Hail: 170 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 26 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on July 13, 2010.

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 Elgin'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.

Elgin radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Elgin, ND?

KBIS (Bismarck, ND), about 58 miles east-northeast. KMBX (Minot AFB, ND) is 145 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Elgin?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Elgin the lowest scan from KBIS is about 4,300 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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