Steele City, NE Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Steele City, Jefferson County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Steele City?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 92 days in the Jefferson forecast zone and Jefferson County — the most common reported hazard around Steele City, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (44 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (28 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 92 | Jun 2026 | Jun 13, 2001 · $500,000 damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 44 | Feb 2025 | Oct 25, 1997 · $1.5 million damage |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 28 | Feb 2025 | — |
| Excessive heat | 25 | Jul 2025 | — |
| High winds | 22 | Mar 2026 | — |
| Flash flooding | 22 | May 2026 | May 7, 2015 · $500,000 damage |
| Flooding | 18 | Mar 2019 | May 7, 2015 · 1 death · $5.3 million damage |
| Blizzards | 6 | Mar 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 Jefferson forecast zone and Jefferson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Steele City get?
A normal year brings about 21 inches of snow to Steele City, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Fairbury 5S weather station 8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (5.7 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.4 | 2.4 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 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 Steele City?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KUEX (Hastings, NE), about 77 miles west-northwest. 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 Steele City | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KUEX Hastings, NE | 77 mi west-northwest | 6,600 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KTWX Topeka, KS | 83 mi south-southeast | 7,300 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KOAX Omaha, NE | 95 mi north-northeast | 8,900 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
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 Steele City
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 126 tornadoes within 25 miles of Steele City, 30 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and June. The strongest was an F4 on May 22, 2004, which passed about 25 miles north-northwest of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on May 6, 2024, which touched down about 16 miles east-northeast of town.
Hail: 607 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 82 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 5.00-inch hail on June 11, 2022.
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 Steele 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.
Steele City radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Steele City, NE?
KUEX (Hastings, NE), about 77 miles west-northwest. KTWX (Topeka, KS) is 83 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Steele City?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Steele City the lowest scan from KUEX is about 6,600 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.
Is TALON's radar for Steele 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 Steele City, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Fairbury, NE radar 11 mi
- Wymore, NE radar 20 mi
- Beatrice, NE radar 22 mi
- Wilber, NE radar 31 mi
- Hebron, NE radar 31 mi
- Crete, NE radar 41 mi
- Geneva, NE radar 46 mi
- Hickman, NE radar 46 mi
- Tecumseh, NE radar 50 mi
- Milford, NE radar 51 mi