Polk, OH Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Polk What TALON shows

What weather hits Polk?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 132 days in the Ashland forecast zone and Ashland County — the most common reported hazard around Polk, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (48 days) and high winds (35 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	132	Mar 2026	Jun 29, 2012 · $750,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	48	Jan 2023	Dec 22, 2004 · $5.2 million damage
High winds	35	Jan 2020	Sep 14, 2008 · $4.3 million damage
Flash flooding	34	Aug 2023	Jul 10, 2006 · $6.0 million damage
Flooding	14	Aug 2023	Jan 1, 2005 · $1.2 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	12	Dec 2022	Apr 29, 2012 · $100,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	3	Mar 2007	Jan 5, 2005 · $8.8 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	3	Apr 2000	Apr 7, 2000 · $50,000 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 Ashland forecast zone and Ashland County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Polk?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCLE (Cleveland, OH), about 37 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 Polk	View
KCLE Cleveland, OH	37 mi north-northeast	2,400 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KPBZ Pittsburgh, PA	108 mi east-southeast	10,900 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KILN Wilmington, OH	135 mi southwest	15,400 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 Polk

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 106 tornadoes within 25 miles of Polk, 26 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and July. The strongest was an F4 on April 11, 1965, which passed about 20 miles north of town and caused 18 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on August 13, 2025, which touched down about 14 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 274 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 17 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on June 8, 1993.

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 Polk'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.

Polk radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Polk, OH?

KCLE (Cleveland, OH), about 37 miles north-northeast. KPBZ (Pittsburgh, PA) is 108 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Polk?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Polk the lowest scan from KCLE is about 2,400 ft up.

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

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