Clay Center, OH Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Clay CenterWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Clay Center?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 126 days in the Ottawa forecast zone and Ottawa County — the most common reported hazard around Clay Center, mostly in June and July. Next come high winds (45 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (32 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds126Jun 2026Jun 24, 1998 · $4.0 million damage
High winds45Dec 2021Sep 14, 2008 · $2.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms32Feb 2022Dec 22, 2004 · $1.0 million damage
Flooding19Jun 2020Jun 21, 2006 · $6.3 million damage
Flash flooding12Aug 2023Jun 21, 2006 · $8.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill10Dec 2022Feb 2, 1996 · $50,000 damage
Storm surge6Apr 1998Apr 9, 1998 · $2.0 million damage
Coastal flooding4May 2019Apr 11, 2019 · $35,000 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 Ottawa forecast zone and Ottawa County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Clay Center?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDTX (Detroit, MI), about 78 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 Clay CenterView
KDTX
Detroit, MI		78 mi north6,600 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCLE
Cleveland, OH		79 mi east6,700 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KIWX
Fort Wayne, IN		122 mi west13,000 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 Clay Center

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 70 tornadoes within 25 miles of Clay Center, 24 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on April 11, 1965, which passed about 12 miles north-northwest of town and caused 18 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on June 18, 2025, which touched down about 6 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 234 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 14 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 9, 2000.

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 Clay Center'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.

Clay Center radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Clay Center, OH?

KDTX (Detroit, MI), about 78 miles north. KCLE (Cleveland, OH) is 79 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Clay Center?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Clay Center the lowest scan from KDTX 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 Clay Center 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 Clay Center, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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