Tolstoy, SD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Tolstoy What TALON shows

What weather hits Tolstoy?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged high winds on 68 days in the Potter forecast zone and Potter County — the most common reported hazard around Tolstoy, mostly in January and April. Next come damaging thunderstorm winds (60 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (45 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
High winds	68	Apr 2026	—
Damaging thunderstorm winds	60	Jun 2026	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	45	Nov 2025	—
Blizzards	43	Dec 2023	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	39	Jan 2026	—
Flooding	10	Apr 2023	Jun 1, 2019 · $12 million damage
Excessive heat	9	Jul 2025	—
Flash flooding	8	Jul 2018	Sep 2, 1999 · $14,000 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 Potter forecast zone and Potter County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Tolstoy get?

A normal year brings about 35 inches of snow to Tolstoy, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Onaka weather station 7.3 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (7.4 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.4	4.8	5.2	7.4	6.3	5.1	5.7	0.1

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

Which radars cover Tolstoy?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 61 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Tolstoy	View
KABR Aberdeen, SD	61 mi east-northeast	4,700 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KBIS Bismarck, ND	121 mi north-northwest	12,900 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KUDX Rapid City, SD	175 mi west-southwest	23,400 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 Tolstoy

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 53 tornadoes within 25 miles of Tolstoy, 8 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an EF4 on May 22, 2010, which passed about 18 miles north-northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on June 27, 2024, which touched down about 6 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 232 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 32 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on August 4, 2000.

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 Tolstoy'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.

Tolstoy radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Tolstoy, SD?

KABR (Aberdeen, SD), about 61 miles east-northeast. KBIS (Bismarck, ND) is 121 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Tolstoy?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Tolstoy the lowest scan from KABR is about 4,700 ft up.

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

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