Sparta, OH Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Sparta What TALON shows

What weather hits Sparta?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 99 days in the Morrow forecast zone and Morrow County — the most common reported hazard around Sparta, mostly in June and July. Next come high winds (29 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (27 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	99	Jun 2026	Jun 29, 2012 · $2.0 million damage
High winds	29	Jan 2020	Sep 14, 2008 · $3.3 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	27	Dec 2022	Dec 22, 2004 · $3.8 million damage
Flash flooding	12	Jun 2019	Jun 27, 1998 · $1.8 million damage
Flooding	10	May 2021	Jan 1, 2005 · $500,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	9	Dec 2022	Feb 2, 1996 · $20,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	3	Mar 2007	Jan 5, 2005 · $4.8 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	3	Jul 2005	Aug 25, 1998 · $20,000 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 Morrow forecast zone and Morrow County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Sparta?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCLE (Cleveland, OH), about 83 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 Sparta	View
KCLE Cleveland, OH	83 mi north-northeast	7,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KILN Wilmington, OH	90 mi southwest	8,200 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KPBZ Pittsburgh, PA	131 mi east	14,600 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 Sparta

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 74 tornadoes within 25 miles of Sparta, 28 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F3 on June 13, 1981, which passed about 13 miles northwest of town and caused 4 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on June 5, 2024, which touched down about 7 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 195 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 8 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on May 11, 1980.

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 Sparta'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.

Sparta radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Sparta, OH?

KCLE (Cleveland, OH), about 83 miles north-northeast. KILN (Wilmington, OH) is 90 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Sparta?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Sparta the lowest scan from KCLE is about 7,300 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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