Botkins, OH Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for BotkinsWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Botkins?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 115 days in the Shelby forecast zone and Shelby County — the most common reported hazard around Botkins, mostly in July and June. Next come flooding (44 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (35 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds115Jun 2026Sep 26, 2003 · $150,000 damage
Flooding44Apr 2025Feb 25, 2018 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms35Jan 2026Jan 2, 1996 · $25,000 damage
Flash flooding16Jul 2025Jul 8, 2003 · $150,000 damage
High winds15Mar 2026Sep 14, 2008 · $5.7 million damage
Ice storms & sleet6Nov 2018—
Excessive heat5Jul 2019—
Lightning casualties & damage5Jul 2022Jul 6, 2022 · 1 death

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 Shelby forecast zone and Shelby County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Botkins?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KILN (Wilmington, OH), about 74 miles south-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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over BotkinsView
KILN
Wilmington, OH		74 mi south-southeast6,100 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KIWX
Fort Wayne, IN		101 mi northwest9,800 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KIND
Indianapolis, IN		122 mi west-southwest13,100 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 Botkins

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 77 tornadoes within 25 miles of Botkins, 20 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and March. The strongest was an F4 on April 11, 1965, which passed about 24 miles north of town and caused 13 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on July 19, 2025, which touched down about 4 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 172 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 10 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on March 14, 2024.

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 Botkins'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.

Botkins radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Botkins, OH?

KILN (Wilmington, OH), about 74 miles south-southeast. KIWX (Fort Wayne, IN) is 101 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Botkins?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Botkins the lowest scan from KILN is about 6,100 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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