Ames, OK Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Ames What TALON shows

What weather hits Ames?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 93 days in the Major forecast zone and Major County — the most common reported hazard around Ames, mostly in June and May. Next come excessive heat (58 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (39 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	93	Jun 2026	Jun 21, 2026 · $200,000 damage
Excessive heat	58	Jun 2026	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	39	Jan 2026	Dec 27, 2015 · $271,000 damage
High winds	24	Mar 2025	May 16, 2022 · $5,000 damage
Flash flooding	14	May 2019	Sep 12, 2008 · $400,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	10	Feb 2025	—
Ice storms & sleet	10	Oct 2020	Jan 30, 2002 · $25 million damage
Flooding	9	Apr 2009	—

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

How much snow does Ames get?

A normal year brings about 10 inches of snow to Ames, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Okeene weather station 11.2 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (3.3 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.2	0.3	3.3	2.7	1.8	2.0	0.0	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 Ames?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KVNX (Vance AFB, OK), about 34 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Ames	View
KVNX Vance AFB, OK	34 mi north	2,200 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KTLX Oklahoma City, OK	81 mi southeast	7,000 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KICT Wichita, KS	106 mi north-northeast	10,400 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 Ames

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 142 tornadoes within 25 miles of Ames, 37 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F4 on May 2, 1979, which passed about 10 miles north-northeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on July 12, 2025, which touched down about 18 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 571 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 102 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 8.00-inch hail on April 26, 1971.

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 Ames'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.

Ames radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Ames, OK?

KVNX (Vance AFB, OK), about 34 miles north. KTLX (Oklahoma City, OK) is 81 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Ames?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Ames the lowest scan from KVNX is about 2,200 ft up.

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

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