St. Helena, NE Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for St. Helena, Cedar County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits St. Helena?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 68 days in the Cedar forecast zone and Cedar County — the most common reported hazard around St. Helena, mostly in January and February. Next come extreme cold & wind chill (60 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (57 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 68 | Nov 2025 | — |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 60 | Jan 2026 | — |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 57 | Jun 2025 | Sep 18, 1997 · $110,000 damage |
| High winds | 26 | Jan 2026 | Jan 17, 1996 · $18,000 damage |
| Blizzards | 15 | Mar 2026 | — |
| Excessive heat | 12 | Jul 2025 | — |
| Flash flooding | 12 | Jul 2024 | Jun 17, 2014 · $250,000 damage |
| Flooding | 9 | Mar 2019 | Jul 16, 1996 · $1.0 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 Cedar forecast zone and Cedar County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does St. Helena get?
A normal year brings about 38 inches of snow to St. Helena, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Yankton 2 E weather station 7.4 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (8.5 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 | 5.9 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 8.5 | 4.7 | 3.7 | 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 St. Helena?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 60 miles north-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 St. Helena | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KFSD Sioux Falls, SD | 60 mi north-northeast | 4,500 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KOAX Omaha, NE | 113 mi south-southeast | 11,500 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KLNX North Platte, NE | 180 mi west-southwest | 24,400 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 St. Helena
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 113 tornadoes within 25 miles of St. Helena, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on June 23, 2003, which passed about 21 miles south of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on May 30, 2022, which passed about 4 miles south of town.
Hail: 464 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 52 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 St. Helena'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.
St. Helena radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to St. Helena, NE?
KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 60 miles north-northeast. KOAX (Omaha, NE) is 113 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in St. Helena?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over St. Helena the lowest scan from KFSD is about 4,500 ft up.
Is TALON's radar for St. Helena 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 St. Helena, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Hartington, NE radar 13 mi
- Creighton, NE radar 41 mi
- Wayne, NE radar 41 mi
- Plainview, NE radar 42 mi
- Wakefield, NE radar 42 mi
- Pierce, NE radar 45 mi
- South Sioux City, NE radar 49 mi
- Dakota City, NE radar 50 mi
- Norfolk, NE radar 55 mi
- Pender, NE radar 56 mi