Valley City, ND Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Valley CityWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Valley City?

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 Valley City, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (81 days) and blizzards (77 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds82Jun 2026Jul 15, 2007 · $5.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms81Apr 2026Nov 27, 2005 · $250,000 damage
Blizzards77Feb 2024Apr 5, 1997 · $6.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill69Jan 2026Mar 8, 2003 · $50,000 damage
High winds28Aug 2025Jun 11, 2008 · $500,000 damage
Flash flooding15Aug 2025Jun 20, 2013 · $250,000 damage
Flooding12Aug 2011Jun 17, 2007 · $3.4 million damage
Ice storms & sleet8Dec 2023Apr 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 Valley City?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 53 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over Valley CityView
KMVX
Grand Forks, ND		53 mi northeast3,800 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KABR
Aberdeen, SD		103 mi south10,100 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS
Bismarck, ND		131 mi west14,600 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 Valley City

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 87 tornadoes within 25 miles of Valley City, 19 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an EF5 on June 20, 2025, which passed about 25 miles southeast of town and caused 3 deaths. The most recent was an EF3 on June 20, 2025, which passed about 21 miles west of town.

Hail: 266 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 26 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on August 5, 1987.

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 Valley City'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.

Valley City radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Valley City, ND?

KMVX (Grand Forks, ND), about 53 miles northeast. KABR (Aberdeen, SD) is 103 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Valley City?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Valley City the lowest scan from KMVX is about 3,800 ft up.

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

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