Mitchell, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for MitchellWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Mitchell?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 80 days in the Davison forecast zone and Davison County — the most common reported hazard around Mitchell, mostly in July and June. Next come flooding (76 days) and high winds (46 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds80Jun 2026Aug 5, 2000 · $8.0 million damage
Flooding76Jul 2024Apr 1, 2019 · 1 death
High winds46Mar 2026Mar 10, 2005 · $100,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms41Feb 2025Dec 29, 2006 · $100,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill33Dec 2025—
Blizzards33Mar 2026Nov 28, 2005 · $100,000 damage
Excessive heat28Jun 2026—
Flash flooding19Jun 2024Sep 12, 2019 · $250,000 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 Davison forecast zone and Davison County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Mitchell get?

A normal year brings about 41 inches of snow to Mitchell, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Mitchell weather station 3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (10.2 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.64.110.25.68.35.86.00.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Mitchell?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 66 miles east. 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over MitchellView
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		66 mi east5,300 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KABR
Aberdeen, SD		121 mi north12,900 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLNX
North Platte, NE		177 mi southwest23,900 ftLimited — 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 Mitchell

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 99 tornadoes within 25 miles of Mitchell, 24 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F4 on May 30, 1998, which passed about 18 miles east of town and caused 6 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on June 23, 2018, which touched down about 19 miles north of town.

Hail: 314 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 42 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 5.00-inch hail on June 16, 1992.

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 Mitchell'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.

Mitchell radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Mitchell, SD?

KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 66 miles east. KABR (Aberdeen, SD) is 121 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Mitchell?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Mitchell the lowest scan from KFSD is about 5,300 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All South Dakota towns →