Cherokee, OK Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for CherokeeWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Cherokee?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 100 days in the Alfalfa forecast zone and Alfalfa County — the most common reported hazard around Cherokee, mostly in May and June. Next come excessive heat (53 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (37 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds100Jun 2025Jun 5, 2008 · $500,000 damage
Excessive heat53Jun 2026—
Heavy snow & winter storms37Jan 2026Dec 26, 2000 · $50,000 damage
High winds22Mar 2025Apr 14, 1999 · $5,000 damage
Flash flooding17May 2019Sep 12, 2008 · $1.8 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill11Feb 2025—
Ice storms & sleet8Oct 2020Jan 30, 2002 · $25 million damage
Flooding3Sep 2008—

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

How much snow does Cherokee get?

A normal year brings about 11 inches of snow to Cherokee, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Cherokee 4W weather station 3.9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (3.0 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.00.43.02.52.72.60.00.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Cherokee?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KVNX (Vance AFB, OK), about 13 miles east. 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 CherokeeView
KVNX
Vance AFB, OK		13 mi east700 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KICT
Wichita, KS		80 mi northeast6,900 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDDC
Dodge City, KS		113 mi northwest11,600 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 Cherokee

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 111 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cherokee, 27 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F4 on May 2, 1979, which passed about 21 miles south of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on November 24, 2025, which touched down about 11 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 413 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 64 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 31, 1999.

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 Cherokee'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.

Cherokee radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cherokee, OK?

KVNX (Vance AFB, OK), about 13 miles east. KICT (Wichita, KS) is 80 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Cherokee?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cherokee the lowest scan from KVNX is about 700 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Oklahoma towns →