Petrolia, PA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Petrolia What TALON shows

What weather hits Petrolia?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 205 days in the Butler forecast zone and Butler County — the most common reported hazard around Petrolia, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (47 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (36 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	205	Jun 2026	Jun 12, 2015 · 1 death · $10,000 damage
Flash flooding	47	Jul 2025	May 28, 2019 · $5.1 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	36	Jan 2026	Feb 1, 2008 · $10,000 damage
Flooding	30	Apr 2024	May 29, 2019 · $5.0 million damage
High winds	16	Mar 2026	Sep 14, 2008 · $5.0 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	11	Dec 2016	Nov 13, 1997 · $5,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	9	Jan 2026	—
Lightning casualties & damage	2	Jul 1997	Jun 19, 1996 · $10,000 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 Butler forecast zone and Butler County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Petrolia?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KPBZ (Pittsburgh, PA), about 43 miles southwest. 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 Petrolia	View
KPBZ Pittsburgh, PA	43 mi southwest	2,900 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KCCX State College, PA	90 mi east	8,100 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCLE Cleveland, OH	115 mi west-northwest	11,900 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 Petrolia

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 46 tornadoes within 25 miles of Petrolia, 10 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and June. The strongest was an F3 on May 31, 1985, which passed about 21 miles south of town and caused 9 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on June 9, 2025, which touched down about 24 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 159 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 6 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on May 28, 2019.

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 Petrolia'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.

Petrolia radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Petrolia, PA?

KPBZ (Pittsburgh, PA), about 43 miles southwest. KCCX (State College, PA) is 90 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Petrolia?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Petrolia the lowest scan from KPBZ is about 2,900 ft up.

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

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