Bridgewater, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for BridgewaterWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Bridgewater?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 62 days in the McCook forecast zone and McCook County — the most common reported hazard around Bridgewater, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (60 days) and high winds (40 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds62Jun 2026Aug 3, 2004 · $300,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms60Dec 2025Feb 24, 2007 · 1 death
High winds40Mar 2026Feb 10, 1996 · $20,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill31Dec 2025—
Blizzards29Mar 2026Jan 17, 1996 · 1 death · $10,000 damage
Excessive heat25Jun 2026—
Flooding19Jun 2024Jun 1, 2019 · $41 million damage
Flash flooding6Jun 2024Sep 10, 2019 · $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 McCook forecast zone and McCook County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Bridgewater?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 39 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 BridgewaterView
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		39 mi east2,500 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KABR
Aberdeen, SD		139 mi north-northwest16,100 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KOAX
Omaha, NE		165 mi south-southeast21,100 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 Bridgewater

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 115 tornadoes within 25 miles of Bridgewater, 24 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on May 30, 1998, which passed about 11 miles north-northeast of town and caused 6 deaths. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on May 30, 2022, which touched down about 21 miles northeast of town.

Hail: 326 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 40 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 5.00-inch hail on July 14, 1970.

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 Bridgewater'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.

Bridgewater radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Bridgewater, SD?

KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 39 miles east. KABR (Aberdeen, SD) is 139 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Bridgewater?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Bridgewater the lowest scan from KFSD is about 2,500 ft up.

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

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