Bristol, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Bristol What TALON shows

What weather hits Bristol?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 75 days in the Day forecast zone and Day County — the most common reported hazard around Bristol, mostly in July and June. Next come blizzards (73 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (64 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	75	Jun 2026	—
Blizzards	73	Feb 2026	Dec 23, 2020 · 1 death
Heavy snow & winter storms	64	Apr 2026	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	46	Jan 2026	—
High winds	43	Apr 2026	—
Flooding	27	Aug 2025	Jun 1, 2019 · $12 million damage
Excessive heat	9	Jun 2025	—
Flash flooding	9	Jun 2014	Aug 19, 2009 · $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 Day forecast zone and Day County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Bristol get?

A normal year brings about 42 inches of snow to Bristol, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Bristol 7S weather station 7.3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (9.8 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
1.1	3.6	9.8	6.1	9.2	7.5	4.5	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 Bristol?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 33 miles west-northwest. 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 Bristol	View
KABR Aberdeen, SD	33 mi west-northwest	2,100 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFSD Sioux Falls, SD	131 mi south-southeast	14,700 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMVX Grand Forks, ND	152 mi north	18,600 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 Bristol

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 73 tornadoes within 25 miles of Bristol, 7 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F3 on June 21, 1961, which passed about 9 miles southwest of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on May 12, 2022, which touched down about 25 miles south-southeast of town.

Hail: 238 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 30 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on July 1, 1969.

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 Bristol'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.

Bristol radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Bristol, SD?

KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 33 miles west-northwest. KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD) is 131 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Bristol?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Bristol the lowest scan from KABR is about 2,100 ft up.

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

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