Columbia, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for ColumbiaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Columbia?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 144 days in the Brown forecast zone and Brown County — the most common reported hazard around Columbia, mostly in July and June. Next come flooding (134 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (65 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds144Jun 2026—
Flooding134Oct 2025Jun 1, 2019 · $36 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms65Apr 2026Apr 10, 2013 · 1 death
High winds56Jun 2026—
Extreme cold & wind chill50Jan 2026Jan 25, 2018 · 1 death
Blizzards49Feb 2026Dec 16, 1996 · 1 death
Flash flooding21Jul 2025May 5, 2007 · $5.0 million damage
Excessive heat13Jul 2025—

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

How much snow does Columbia get?

A normal year brings about 38 inches of snow to Columbia, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Columbia 8 N weather station 7.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (7.7 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.75.77.27.76.86.13.60.0

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

Which radars cover Columbia?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 12 miles south-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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over ColumbiaView
KABR
Aberdeen, SD		12 mi south-southwest600 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMVX
Grand Forks, ND		140 mi north-northeast16,300 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS
Bismarck, ND		142 mi northwest16,600 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 Columbia

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 92 tornadoes within 25 miles of Columbia, 17 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on June 23, 2002, which passed about 7 miles northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 13, 2025, which touched down about 15 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 318 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 29 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on June 23, 2002.

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 Columbia'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.

Columbia radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Columbia, SD?

KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 12 miles south-southwest. KMVX (Grand Forks, ND) is 140 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Columbia?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Columbia the lowest scan from KABR is about 600 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All South Dakota towns →