Ames, NE Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Ames What TALON shows

What weather hits Ames?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 90 days in the Dodge forecast zone and Dodge County — the most common reported hazard around Ames, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (62 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (46 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	90	Jun 2026	May 29, 2000 · $20,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	62	Feb 2026	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	46	Jan 2026	Jan 22, 2003 · 1 death
Flooding	41	Jun 2024	Aug 4, 1996 · $7.0 million damage
High winds	27	Jan 2026	—
Excessive heat	23	Jul 2025	Jul 28, 2001 · 1 death
Flash flooding	20	May 2024	May 21, 2024 · $150,000 damage
Blizzards	11	Mar 2025	Mar 10, 2013 · 1 death

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

How much snow does Ames get?

A normal year brings about 29 inches of snow to Ames, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Prague weather station 13.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (7.6 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
1.0	1.1	5.6	7.6	7.1	5.3	1.6	0.0

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

Which radars cover Ames?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 16 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 Ames	View
KOAX Omaha, NE	16 mi east-southeast	900 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KUEX Hastings, NE	123 mi southwest	13,200 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KFSD Sioux Falls, SD	148 mi north	17,800 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 Ames

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 117 tornadoes within 25 miles of Ames, 21 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on July 15, 1950, which passed about 22 miles north-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on May 19, 2025, which touched down about 11 miles west of town.

Hail: 549 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 102 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.75-inch hail on June 3, 2014.

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 Ames'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.

Ames radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Ames, NE?

KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 16 miles east-southeast. KUEX (Hastings, NE) is 123 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Ames?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Ames the lowest scan from KOAX is about 900 ft up.

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

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