Mellette, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Mellette What TALON shows

What weather hits Mellette?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 86 days in the Spink forecast zone and Spink County — the most common reported hazard around Mellette, mostly in March and April. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (79 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (59 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Flooding	86	Aug 2023	Jul 1, 2022 · 1 death
Damaging thunderstorm winds	79	Jun 2026	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	59	Feb 2026	—
Blizzards	51	Feb 2026	Feb 10, 2013 · 1 death
High winds	43	Mar 2026	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	40	Jan 2026	—
Excessive heat	15	Jul 2025	—
Flash flooding	8	Jun 2014	Apr 6, 2006 · $15,000 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 Spink forecast zone and Spink County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Mellette get?

A normal year brings about 43 inches of snow to Mellette, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Mellette 4 W weather station 4.1 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (9.3 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.9	5.9	9.3	8.5	7.8	5.6	5.4	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 Mellette?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 21 miles north. 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 Mellette	View
KABR Aberdeen, SD	21 mi north	1,200 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFSD Sioux Falls, SD	139 mi southeast	16,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS Bismarck, ND	156 mi northwest	19,300 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 Mellette

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 87 tornadoes within 25 miles of Mellette, 15 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F3 on June 21, 1961, which passed about 25 miles northeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF0 on July 13, 2025, which touched down about 19 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 286 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 34 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 5.00-inch hail on June 28, 1955.

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 Mellette'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.

Mellette radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Mellette, SD?

KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 21 miles north. KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD) is 139 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Mellette?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Mellette the lowest scan from KABR is about 1,200 ft up.

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

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