Great Bend, ND Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Great BendWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Great Bend?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 99 days in the Richland forecast zone and Richland County — the most common reported hazard around Great Bend, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (87 days) and blizzards (79 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds99Jun 2026Jul 10, 2011 · $1.5 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms87Apr 2026Nov 27, 2005 · $2.0 million damage
Blizzards79Dec 2025Apr 5, 1997 · $6.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill60Jan 2026Mar 8, 2003 · $50,000 damage
Flooding34May 2024Apr 5, 1997 · $50 million damage
Flash flooding34Jul 2016Aug 12, 2008 · $330,000 damage
High winds32Jun 2026Jun 11, 2008 · $200,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet6Dec 2023—

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

Which radars cover Great Bend?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 91 miles west-southwest. 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 Great BendView
KABR
Aberdeen, SD		91 mi west-southwest8,400 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMVX
Grand Forks, ND		98 mi north-northwest9,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		177 mi south23,900 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 Great Bend

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 86 tornadoes within 25 miles of Great Bend, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F4 on July 2, 1955, which passed about 24 miles north of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on September 18, 2025, which touched down about 21 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 222 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 19 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on July 14, 1998.

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 Great Bend'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.

Great Bend radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Great Bend, ND?

KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 91 miles west-southwest. KMVX (Grand Forks, ND) is 98 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Great Bend?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Great Bend the lowest scan from KABR is about 8,400 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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