Pekin, ND Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Pekin What TALON shows

What weather hits Pekin?

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 Pekin, 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 Pekin?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 50 miles east-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 Pekin	View
KMVX Grand Forks, ND	50 mi east-southeast	3,600 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMBX Minot AFB, ND	124 mi west-northwest	13,400 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS Bismarck, ND	134 mi west-southwest	15,200 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 Pekin

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 89 tornadoes within 25 miles of Pekin, 9 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and June. The strongest was an EF3 on August 26, 2007, which passed about 19 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on August 8, 2025, which touched down about 10 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 223 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 24 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 Pekin'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.

Pekin radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Pekin, ND?

KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 50 miles east-southeast. KMBX (Minot AFB, ND) is 124 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Pekin?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Pekin the lowest scan from KMVX is about 3,600 ft up.

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

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