Garden City, SD Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Garden City, Clark County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Garden City?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 69 days in the Clark forecast zone and Clark County — the most common reported hazard around Garden City, mostly in July and June. Next come blizzards (59 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (56 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 69 | Aug 2025 | — |
| Blizzards | 59 | Feb 2026 | Mar 24, 1996 · $5,000 damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 56 | Feb 2026 | — |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 41 | Jan 2026 | — |
| High winds | 40 | May 2026 | Feb 10, 1996 · $10,000 damage |
| Flooding | 17 | Jul 2025 | Jun 1, 2019 · $16 million damage |
| Excessive heat | 10 | Jun 2025 | — |
| Ice storms & sleet | 8 | Dec 2023 | Dec 25, 2016 · $33,000 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 Clark forecast zone and Clark County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
Which radars cover Garden City?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 53 miles 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 Garden City | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KABR Aberdeen, SD | 53 mi northwest | 3,900 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KFSD Sioux Falls, SD | 104 mi south-southeast | 10,200 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KMVX Grand Forks, ND | 178 mi north | 24,000 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 Garden City
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 69 tornadoes within 25 miles of Garden City, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F3 on June 21, 1961, which passed about 5 miles northeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on August 16, 2025, which touched down about 17 miles south-southeast of town.
Hail: 311 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 46 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 5, 1964.
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 Garden City'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.
Garden City radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Garden City, SD?
KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 53 miles northwest. KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD) is 104 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Garden City?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Garden City the lowest scan from KABR is about 3,900 ft up.
Is TALON's radar for Garden City 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 Garden City, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Clark, SD radar 9 mi
- Watertown, SD radar 21 mi
- Webster, SD radar 26 mi
- De Smet, SD radar 40 mi
- Groton, SD radar 42 mi
- Clear Lake, SD radar 46 mi
- Redfield, SD radar 46 mi
- Milbank, SD radar 50 mi
- Huron, SD radar 52 mi
- Volga, SD radar 55 mi