Banks Lake South, WA Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Banks Lake South, Grant County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for Banks Lake SouthWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Banks Lake South?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 46 days in the Upper Columbia Basin forecast zone and Grant County — the most common reported hazard around Banks Lake South, mostly in January and December. Next come dust storms (22 days) and wildfires (17 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms46Apr 2023Feb 4, 2020 · 1 death
Dust storms22Apr 2025Sep 7, 2020 · $150,000 damage
Wildfires17Jun 2026Jun 21, 2026 · $4.9 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds16Jun 2022May 31, 1997 · $200,000 damage
High winds15Apr 2022Apr 4, 2022 · $5.3 million damage
Flash flooding8May 2023May 17, 2018 · $100,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet5Dec 2020Jan 13, 2009 · $2.0 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage4May 2006Jul 7, 2002 · $150,000 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 Upper Columbia Basin forecast zone and Grant County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Banks Lake South?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 77 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 Banks Lake SouthView
KOTX
Spokane, WA		77 mi east6,500 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KPDT
Pendleton, OR		135 mi south15,400 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KATX
Seattle/Tacoma, WA		154 mi west-northwest19,000 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 Banks Lake South

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 3 tornadoes within 25 miles of Banks Lake South, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and August. The strongest was an F2 on April 5, 1972, which touched down about 9 miles east-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 22, 2016, which touched down about 12 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 7 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.50-inch hail on June 29, 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 Banks Lake South'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.

Banks Lake South radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Banks Lake South, WA?

KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 77 miles east. KPDT (Pendleton, OR) is 135 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Banks Lake South?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Banks Lake South the lowest scan from KOTX is about 6,500 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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