Cook, NE Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Cook What TALON shows

What weather hits Cook?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 48 days in the Johnson forecast zone and Johnson County — the most common reported hazard around Cook, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (44 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (27 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	48	May 2026	Jul 20, 2000 · $520,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	44	Feb 2025	Oct 22, 1996 · $550,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	27	Feb 2025	—
Excessive heat	25	Jul 2025	—
High winds	15	Mar 2025	—
Flash flooding	9	May 2026	May 23, 1996 · $2.0 million damage
Blizzards	7	Mar 2025	Nov 25, 2018 · 1 death
Ice storms & sleet	4	Jan 2017	—

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

How much snow does Cook get?

A normal year brings about 26 inches of snow to Cook, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Syracuse weather station 10.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (7.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.9	1.6	4.4	7.7	7.3	2.4	1.2	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 Cook?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 57 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 Cook	View
KOAX Omaha, NE	57 mi north	4,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KTWX Topeka, KS	105 mi south	10,300 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KUEX Hastings, NE	121 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 Cook

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 123 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cook, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F4 on May 22, 2004, which passed about 18 miles northwest of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on August 10, 2025, which touched down about 8 miles northeast of town.

Hail: 422 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 52 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 5.00-inch hail on June 27, 1967.

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 Cook'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.

Cook radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cook, NE?

KOAX (Omaha, NE), about 57 miles north. KTWX (Topeka, KS) is 105 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Cook?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cook the lowest scan from KOAX is about 4,200 ft up.

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

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