Willow City, ND Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Willow CityWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Willow City?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 64 days in the Bottineau forecast zone and Bottineau County — the most common reported hazard around Willow City, mostly in December and January. Next come blizzards (44 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (41 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms64Feb 2026—
Blizzards44Dec 2025Apr 23, 2022 · $3.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill41Feb 2025Jun 3, 1998 · $75,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds38Jun 2026Jun 9, 2016 · $5.3 million damage
High winds36May 2026May 25, 2010 · $30,000 damage
Flooding9Jun 2014Jun 6, 2013 · $525,000 damage
Flash flooding5Jun 2009Jun 1, 2005 · $625,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet1Dec 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 Bottineau forecast zone and Bottineau County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Willow City?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMBX (Minot AFB, ND), about 30 miles west-southwest. 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 Willow CityView
KMBX
Minot AFB, ND		30 mi west-southwest1,800 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KBIS
Bismarck, ND		129 mi south14,200 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMVX
Grand Forks, ND		156 mi east-southeast19,300 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 Willow City

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 32 tornadoes within 25 miles of Willow City, 5 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an EF3 on July 7, 2008, which passed about 24 miles northeast of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on June 28, 2020, which touched down about 24 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 153 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 18 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on June 14, 2018.

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 Willow 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.

Willow City radar FAQ

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

KMBX (Minot AFB, ND), about 30 miles west-southwest. KBIS (Bismarck, ND) is 129 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Willow City?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Willow City the lowest scan from KMBX is about 1,800 ft up.

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

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