Santee, NE Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Santee, Knox County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Santee?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 69 days in the Knox forecast zone and Knox County — the most common reported hazard around Santee, mostly in December and January. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (62 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (58 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 69 | Mar 2025 | Nov 28, 2005 · $3.0 million damage |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 62 | Jun 2026 | Oct 26, 1996 · $30,000 damage |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 58 | Jan 2026 | — |
| High winds | 27 | Jan 2026 | Nov 2, 1997 · $30,000 damage |
| Flooding | 19 | Jun 2024 | Mar 13, 2019 · $1.2 million damage |
| Blizzards | 17 | Mar 2026 | — |
| Flash flooding | 15 | Aug 2021 | Aug 15, 2017 · $40,000 damage |
| Excessive heat | 11 | Jul 2025 | — |
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 Knox forecast zone and Knox County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Santee get?
A normal year brings about 37 inches of snow to Santee, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Tyndall weather station 10.6 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (7.4 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 | 5.0 | 7.3 | 6.5 | 7.4 | 5.3 | 4.1 | 0.2 |
Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.
Which radars cover Santee?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 77 miles northeast. 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 Santee | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KFSD Sioux Falls, SD | 77 mi northeast | 6,500 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KOAX Omaha, NE | 130 mi southeast | 14,400 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KLNX North Platte, NE | 152 mi west-southwest | 18,500 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 Santee
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 90 tornadoes within 25 miles of Santee, 21 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an F3 on May 6, 1975, which passed about 18 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 3, 2023, which touched down about 15 miles northeast of town.
Hail: 419 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 56 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 6.88-inch hail on August 21, 2007.
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 Santee'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.
Santee radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Santee, NE?
KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 77 miles northeast. KOAX (Omaha, NE) is 130 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Santee?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Santee the lowest scan from KFSD 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 Santee 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 Santee, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Creighton, NE radar 26 mi
- Hartington, NE radar 33 mi
- Plainview, NE radar 34 mi
- Pierce, NE radar 47 mi
- O'Neill, NE radar 48 mi
- Neligh, NE radar 50 mi
- Battle Creek, NE radar 59 mi
- Wayne, NE radar 60 mi
- Norfolk, NE radar 60 mi
- Atkinson, NE radar 61 mi