Velva, ND Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Velva What TALON shows

What weather hits Velva?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 68 days in the McHenry forecast zone and McHenry County — the most common reported hazard around Velva, mostly in December and November. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (45 days) and high winds (43 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	68	Feb 2026	—
Damaging thunderstorm winds	45	Jun 2026	Jul 7, 2020 · $850,000 damage
High winds	43	May 2026	May 25, 2010 · $30,000 damage
Blizzards	41	Dec 2025	Jan 9, 1997 · $1.5 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	39	Feb 2025	—
Flooding	10	Apr 2023	May 1, 2011 · $5.0 million damage
Flash flooding	6	Jun 2011	Jul 26, 2010 · $75,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	1	Dec 2010	—

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

How much snow does Velva get?

A normal year brings about 41 inches of snow to Velva, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Velva weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually January (10.3 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
2.2	4.8	9.3	10.3	5.3	5.2	3.1	0.8

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Velva?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMBX (Minot AFB, ND), about 23 miles north. 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 Velva	View
KMBX Minot AFB, ND	23 mi north	1,300 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KBIS Bismarck, ND	89 mi south	8,100 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMVX Grand Forks, ND	171 mi east	22,600 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 Velva

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 51 tornadoes within 25 miles of Velva, 3 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and August. The strongest was an F2 on August 2, 1960, which touched down about 24 miles northwest of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on September 14, 2025, which passed about 19 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 184 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 30 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on June 6, 2004.

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 Velva'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.

Velva radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Velva, ND?

KMBX (Minot AFB, ND), about 23 miles north. KBIS (Bismarck, ND) is 89 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Velva?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Velva the lowest scan from KMBX is about 1,300 ft up.

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

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