Pierre, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Pierre What TALON shows

What weather hits Pierre?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged high winds on 102 days in the Hughes forecast zone and Hughes County — the most common reported hazard around Pierre, mostly in October and March. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (97 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (55 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
High winds	102	Jun 2026	—
Damaging thunderstorm winds	97	Jun 2026	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	55	Nov 2025	—
Blizzards	40	Dec 2023	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	27	Jan 2026	—
Flooding	22	Jul 2020	Jun 1, 2019 · $2.8 million damage
Excessive heat	14	Jul 2025	—
Flash flooding	12	Aug 2024	Sep 2, 1999 · $175,000 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 Hughes forecast zone and Hughes County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Pierre get?

A normal year brings about 37 inches of snow to Pierre, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Pierre Rgnl Ap weather station 1.8 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (8.0 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
1.3	6.3	6.2	5.1	8.0	5.0	5.3	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 Pierre?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 120 miles 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Pierre	View
KABR Aberdeen, SD	120 mi northeast	12,700 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KUDX Rapid City, SD	125 mi west	13,600 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KBIS Bismarck, ND	167 mi north	21,600 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 Pierre

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 37 tornadoes within 25 miles of Pierre, 6 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F3 on July 23, 1973, which touched down about 2 miles southwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 18, 2023, which touched down about 12 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 215 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 44 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on July 18, 2023.

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 Pierre'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.

Pierre radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Pierre, SD?

KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 120 miles northeast. KUDX (Rapid City, SD) is 125 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Pierre?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Pierre the lowest scan from KABR is about 12,700 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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