Lake Preston, SD Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Lake Preston, Kingsbury County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Lake Preston?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 64 days in the Kingsbury forecast zone and Kingsbury County — the most common reported hazard around Lake Preston, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (45 days) and extreme cold & wind chill (39 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 64 | Jun 2026 | Jul 31, 2024 · 2 deaths |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 45 | Apr 2025 | Oct 1, 1999 · $10,000 damage |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 39 | Dec 2025 | — |
| Blizzards | 36 | Mar 2026 | Nov 28, 2005 · $100,000 damage |
| High winds | 31 | Mar 2026 | Oct 26, 2008 · $20,000 damage |
| Excessive heat | 21 | Jun 2026 | — |
| Flash flooding | 9 | Aug 2023 | Aug 5, 2023 · $25,000 damage |
| Flooding | 8 | Sep 2019 | Jun 1, 2019 · $32 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 Kingsbury forecast zone and Kingsbury County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Lake Preston get?
A normal year brings about 41 inches of snow to Lake Preston, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the De Smet weather station 8.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (9.2 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 | 5.4 | 7.3 | 6.2 | 9.2 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 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 Lake Preston?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 62 miles south-southeast. 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 Lake Preston | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KFSD Sioux Falls, SD | 62 mi south-southeast | 4,800 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KABR Aberdeen, SD | 91 mi north-northwest | 8,300 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KMPX Minneapolis, MN | 191 mi east-northeast | 26,900 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 Lake Preston
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 107 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lake Preston, 17 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on June 24, 2003, which passed about 17 miles west-northwest of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on August 10, 2023, which touched down about 13 miles northwest of town.
Hail: 271 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 July 28, 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 Lake Preston'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.
Lake Preston radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Lake Preston, SD?
KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 62 miles south-southeast. KABR (Aberdeen, SD) is 91 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Lake Preston?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lake Preston the lowest scan from KFSD is about 4,800 ft up.
Is TALON's radar for Lake Preston 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 Lake Preston, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- De Smet, SD radar 9 mi
- Volga, SD radar 23 mi
- Madison, SD radar 28 mi
- Brookings, SD radar 29 mi
- Aurora, SD radar 35 mi
- Watertown, SD radar 39 mi
- Clark, SD radar 40 mi
- Huron, SD radar 41 mi
- Clear Lake, SD radar 43 mi
- Flandreau, SD radar 44 mi