Parkston, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for ParkstonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Parkston?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 76 days in the Hutchinson forecast zone and Hutchinson County — the most common reported hazard around Parkston, mostly in June and May. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (73 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (60 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flooding76Jul 2024Jun 1, 2019 · $61 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds73Jun 2026Apr 10, 2005 · $500,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms60Feb 2025Apr 9, 2013 · $10 million damage
High winds49May 2026Mar 27, 2004 · $1.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill29Dec 2025—
Blizzards29Mar 2026Mar 24, 1996 · 1 death · $20,000 damage
Excessive heat28Jun 2026—
Flash flooding8Jul 2020Jun 5, 2008 · $1.0 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 Hutchinson forecast zone and Hutchinson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Parkston?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 64 miles east-northeast. 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 ParkstonView
KFSD
Sioux Falls, SD		64 mi east-northeast5,000 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KABR
Aberdeen, SD		144 mi north17,000 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLNX
North Platte, NE		165 mi southwest21,200 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 Parkston

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 98 tornadoes within 25 miles of Parkston, 19 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an F3 on May 21, 1962, which touched down about 23 miles north of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on July 31, 2024, which touched down about 13 miles south-southeast of town.

Hail: 295 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 42 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on September 16, 2006.

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 Parkston'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.

Parkston radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Parkston, SD?

KFSD (Sioux Falls, SD), about 64 miles east-northeast. KABR (Aberdeen, SD) is 144 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Parkston?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Parkston the lowest scan from KFSD is about 5,000 ft up.

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

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