Groton, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Groton What TALON shows

What weather hits Groton?

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 Groton, mostly in July and June. Next come flooding (134 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (65 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	144	Jun 2026	—
Flooding	134	Oct 2025	Jun 1, 2019 · $36 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	65	Apr 2026	Apr 10, 2013 · 1 death
High winds	56	Jun 2026	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	50	Jan 2026	Jan 25, 2018 · 1 death
Blizzards	49	Feb 2026	Dec 16, 1996 · 1 death
Flash flooding	21	Jul 2025	May 5, 2007 · $5.0 million damage
Excessive heat	13	Jul 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 Groton get?

A normal year brings about 32 inches of snow to Groton, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Groton weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually December (8.1 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.5	2.0	8.1	4.7	5.8	6.7	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 Groton?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 15 miles west. 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 Groton	View
KABR Aberdeen, SD	15 mi west	800 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFSD Sioux Falls, SD	145 mi south-southeast	17,300 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMVX Grand Forks, ND	148 mi north-northeast	17,800 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 Groton

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 89 tornadoes within 25 miles of Groton, 13 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on June 23, 2002, which passed about 22 miles northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 13, 2025, which touched down about 13 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 295 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 35 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on August 15, 1987.

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 Groton'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.

Groton radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Groton, SD?

KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 15 miles west. KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD) is 145 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Groton?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Groton the lowest scan from KABR is about 800 ft up.

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

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