Sanborn, ND Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Sanborn What TALON shows

What weather hits Sanborn?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 82 days in the Barnes forecast zone and Barnes County — the most common reported hazard around Sanborn, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (81 days) and blizzards (77 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	82	Jun 2026	Jul 15, 2007 · $5.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	81	Apr 2026	Nov 27, 2005 · $250,000 damage
Blizzards	77	Feb 2024	Apr 5, 1997 · $6.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	69	Jan 2026	Mar 8, 2003 · $50,000 damage
High winds	28	Aug 2025	Jun 11, 2008 · $500,000 damage
Flash flooding	15	Aug 2025	Jun 20, 2013 · $250,000 damage
Flooding	12	Aug 2011	Jun 17, 2007 · $3.4 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	8	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 Barnes forecast zone and Barnes County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Sanborn?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 58 miles 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 Sanborn	View
KMVX Grand Forks, ND	58 mi northeast	4,400 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KABR Aberdeen, SD	103 mi south	10,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS Bismarck, ND	120 mi west	12,800 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 Sanborn

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 87 tornadoes within 25 miles of Sanborn, 18 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on July 18, 2004, which passed about 13 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on June 20, 2025, which touched down about 16 miles west of town.

Hail: 285 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 33 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on August 31, 1997.

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 Sanborn'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.

Sanborn radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Sanborn, ND?

KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 58 miles northeast. KABR (Aberdeen, SD) is 103 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Sanborn?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Sanborn the lowest scan from KMVX is about 4,400 ft up.

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

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