Ponca, NE Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for PoncaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Ponca?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 63 days in the Dixon forecast zone and Dixon County — the most common reported hazard around Ponca, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (44 days) and high winds (31 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds63Jul 2025Jul 16, 1996 · $200,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms44Jan 2024—
High winds31Mar 2026Oct 26, 1996 · $40,000 damage
Excessive heat27Jun 2026—
Blizzards26Mar 2026Nov 10, 1998 · $25,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill20Feb 2025—
Flash flooding16Jun 2025Jul 2, 1999 · $1.0 million damage
Flooding15Jun 2024Mar 13, 2019 · $3.5 million 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 Dixon forecast zone and Dixon County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Ponca get?

A normal year brings about 36 inches of snow to Ponca, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Newcastle weather station 10.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (7.4 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.95.67.46.26.65.83.50.2

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

Which radars cover Ponca?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 71 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over PoncaView
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		71 mi north5,800 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KOAX
Omaha, NE		88 mi south-southeast7,900 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDMX
Des Moines, IA		163 mi east-southeast20,900 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 Ponca

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 106 tornadoes within 25 miles of Ponca, 29 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on June 23, 2003, which passed about 19 miles west of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on April 16, 2024, which touched down about 21 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 437 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 48 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 27, 2012.

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 Ponca'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.

Ponca radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Ponca, NE?

KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 71 miles north. KOAX (Omaha, NE) is 88 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Ponca?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Ponca the lowest scan from KFSD is about 5,800 ft up.

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

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