Mason City, NE Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Mason City, Custer County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Mason City?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 140 days in the Custer forecast zone and Custer County — the most common reported hazard around Mason City, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (55 days) and high winds (44 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 140 | Jun 2026 | Aug 9, 2003 · $350,000 damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 55 | Mar 2024 | Jan 17, 1996 · 1 death · $200,000 damage |
| High winds | 44 | Mar 2026 | Apr 13, 2010 · $20,000 damage |
| Flash flooding | 28 | Jun 2025 | Oct 12, 2023 · $500,000 damage |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 15 | Feb 2025 | — |
| Blizzards | 12 | Mar 2024 | Nov 27, 2005 · $1.8 million damage |
| Flooding | 7 | Jul 2021 | Mar 14, 2019 · $1.0 million damage |
| Wildfires | 4 | Apr 2026 | Dec 19, 2024 · 1 death · $80,000 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 Custer forecast zone and Custer County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Mason City get?
A normal year brings about 26 inches of snow to Mason City, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Mason City weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually January (6.8 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.7 | 1.6 | 4.8 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 3.7 | 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 Mason City?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KUEX (Hastings, NE), about 77 miles 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 Mason City | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KUEX Hastings, NE | 77 mi southeast | 6,500 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KLNX North Platte, NE | 83 mi northwest | 7,300 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KOAX Omaha, NE | 152 mi east | 18,600 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 Mason City
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 90 tornadoes within 25 miles of Mason City, 20 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on June 7, 1953, which passed about 12 miles northeast of town and caused 11 deaths. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on July 23, 2025, which touched down about 15 miles north of town.
Hail: 486 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 64 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on June 18, 2008.
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 Mason 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.
Mason City radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Mason City, NE?
KUEX (Hastings, NE), about 77 miles southeast. KLNX (North Platte, NE) is 83 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Mason City?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Mason City the lowest scan from KUEX is about 6,500 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.
Is TALON's radar for Mason 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 Mason City, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Loup City, NE radar 18 mi
- Broken Bow, NE radar 22 mi
- Ravenna, NE radar 25 mi
- Ord, NE radar 33 mi
- Kearney, NE radar 38 mi
- Lexington, NE radar 39 mi
- Burwell, NE radar 39 mi
- Gibbon, NE radar 41 mi
- Shelton, NE radar 43 mi
- St. Paul, NE radar 44 mi