Okaton, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Okaton What TALON shows

What weather hits Okaton?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 75 days in the Jones forecast zone and Jones County — the most common reported hazard around Okaton, mostly in July and June. Next come high winds (67 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (52 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	75	Jul 2024	—
High winds	67	Mar 2026	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	52	Mar 2025	—
Blizzards	38	Dec 2023	—
Flooding	23	Apr 2024	Jun 1, 2019 · $2.9 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	18	Feb 2025	—
Excessive heat	9	Jul 2024	—
Wildfires	4	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 Jones forecast zone and Jones County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Okaton get?

A normal year brings about 49 inches of snow to Okaton, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Murdo weather station 9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually December (10.8 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
1.8	5.6	10.8	7.5	8.5	8.1	6.8	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 Okaton?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KUDX (Rapid City, SD), about 99 miles west-northwest. 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 Okaton	View
KUDX Rapid City, SD	99 mi west-northwest	9,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLNX North Platte, NE	132 mi south	14,800 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KABR Aberdeen, SD	164 mi northeast	21,100 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 Okaton

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 15 tornadoes within 25 miles of Okaton, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F2 on June 14, 1953, which passed about 19 miles west of town. The most recent was an EF2 on June 12, 2022, which touched down about 4 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 192 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 22 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on July 5, 2005.

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 Okaton'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.

Okaton radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Okaton, SD?

KUDX (Rapid City, SD), about 99 miles west-northwest. KLNX (North Platte, NE) is 132 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Okaton?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Okaton the lowest scan from KUDX is about 9,400 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All South Dakota towns →