Lakota, ND Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lakota What TALON shows

What weather hits Lakota?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged dangerous cold on 79 days in the Nelson forecast zone and Nelson County — the most common reported hazard around Lakota, mostly in January and February. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (77 days) and blizzards (66 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Extreme cold & wind chill	79	Jan 2026	Mar 8, 2003 · $5,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	77	Feb 2026	Nov 6, 2000 · $2,000 damage
Blizzards	66	Dec 2025	Apr 5, 1997 · $6.0 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	63	Jun 2025	Jun 10, 2017 · $60,000 damage
Flooding	42	Aug 2011	Aug 1, 2001 · $5.0 million damage
High winds	32	Oct 2024	Nov 1, 1999 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding	15	Sep 2019	Jun 12, 2000 · $14 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	6	Dec 2023	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 Nelson forecast zone and Nelson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Lakota?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 59 miles 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 Lakota	View
KMVX Grand Forks, ND	59 mi southeast	4,500 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMBX Minot AFB, ND	118 mi west-northwest	12,500 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS Bismarck, ND	143 mi southwest	16,800 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 Lakota

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 83 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lakota, 6 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F3 on July 18, 2001, which passed about 22 miles south of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 7, 2025, which touched down about 23 miles north of town.

Hail: 199 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 21 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 8.00-inch hail on July 21, 1969.

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 Lakota'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.

Lakota radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lakota, ND?

KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 59 miles southeast. KMBX (Minot AFB, ND) is 118 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lakota?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lakota the lowest scan from KMVX is about 4,500 ft up.

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

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