Hecla, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Hecla What TALON shows

What weather hits Hecla?

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 Hecla, 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 Hecla get?

A normal year brings about 38 inches of snow to Hecla, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Columbia 8 N weather station 13.2 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (7.7 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.7	5.7	7.2	7.7	6.8	6.1	3.6	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 Hecla?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 32 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Hecla	View
KABR Aberdeen, SD	32 mi south-southwest	2,000 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMVX Grand Forks, ND	120 mi north-northeast	12,800 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS Bismarck, ND	139 mi west-northwest	16,000 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 Hecla

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 63 tornadoes within 25 miles of Hecla, 11 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F4 on June 23, 2002, which passed about 12 miles west-southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on May 7, 2022, which touched down about 21 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 245 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 Hecla'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.

Hecla radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Hecla, SD?

KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 32 miles south-southwest. KMVX (Grand Forks, ND) is 120 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Hecla?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Hecla the lowest scan from KABR is about 2,000 ft up.

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

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