Clear Lake, SD Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Clear Lake, Deuel County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Clear Lake?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 65 days in the Deuel forecast zone and Deuel County — the most common reported hazard around Clear Lake, mostly in December and March. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (58 days) and blizzards (54 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 65 | Mar 2026 | — |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 58 | Jun 2026 | Jun 21, 2013 · $193,000 damage |
| Blizzards | 54 | Feb 2023 | Mar 24, 1996 · $5,000 damage |
| High winds | 45 | Mar 2026 | Feb 10, 1996 · $10,000 damage |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 44 | Jan 2026 | — |
| Flooding | 10 | Aug 2025 | Jun 1, 2019 · $11 million damage |
| Flash flooding | 9 | Jun 2026 | Mar 22, 2009 · $200,000 damage |
| Ice storms & sleet | 8 | Mar 2023 | Dec 25, 2016 · $2.5 million 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 Deuel forecast zone and Deuel County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Clear Lake get?
A normal year brings about 61 inches of snow to Clear Lake, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Clear Lake weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually December (13.6 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 | 7.8 | 13.6 | 10.8 | 10.3 | 9.6 | 7.0 | 0.2 |
Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.
Which radars cover Clear Lake?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 81 miles south. 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 Clear Lake | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KFSD Sioux Falls, SD | 81 mi south | 7,000 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KABR Aberdeen, SD | 97 mi west-northwest | 9,200 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KMPX Minneapolis, MN | 153 mi east | 18,800 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 Clear Lake
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 92 tornadoes within 25 miles of Clear Lake, 16 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on June 7, 1993, which passed about 19 miles south-southeast of town. The most recent was an EF2 on June 28, 2025, which passed about 5 miles northwest of town.
Hail: 235 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 24 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on July 11, 2017.
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 Clear Lake'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.
Clear Lake radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Clear Lake, SD?
KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 81 miles south. KABR (Aberdeen, SD) is 97 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Clear Lake?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Clear Lake the lowest scan from KFSD is about 7,000 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.
Is TALON's radar for Clear Lake 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 Clear Lake, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
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- Brookings, SD radar 32 mi
- Milbank, SD radar 32 mi
- Volga, SD radar 32 mi
- Aurora, SD radar 33 mi
- Flandreau, SD radar 49 mi
- De Smet, SD radar 49 mi
- Clark, SD radar 52 mi
- Madison, SD radar 56 mi
- Webster, SD radar 57 mi