North Yelm, WA Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for North Yelm, Thurston County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits North Yelm?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 4 days in the Olympia and Southern Puget Sound forecast zone and Thurston County — the most common reported hazard around North Yelm, mostly in January and November. Next come lightning casualties & damage (3 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (1 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flooding | 4 | Jan 2021 | Jan 7, 2009 · $3.2 million damage |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 3 | May 2003 | Sep 5, 2002 · $20,000 damage |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 1 | May 2017 | May 4, 2017 · $700,000 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 Olympia and Southern Puget Sound forecast zone and Thurston County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does North Yelm get?
A normal year brings about 3.9 inches of snow to North Yelm, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Olympia Ap weather station 13.7 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (2.0 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 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 North Yelm?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLGX (Langley Hill, WA), about 71 miles west. 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 North Yelm | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KLGX Langley Hill, WA | 71 mi west | 5,800 ft | Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly |
| KATX Seattle/Tacoma, WA | 85 mi north | 7,500 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KRTX Portland, OR | 88 mi south | 7,900 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
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 North Yelm
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 12 tornadoes within 25 miles of North Yelm, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and September. The strongest was an F2 on November 10, 1965, which touched down about 23 miles southwest of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on October 4, 2019, which touched down about 15 miles west-southwest of town.
Hail: 1 report of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.50-inch hail on September 1, 1997.
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 North Yelm'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.
North Yelm radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to North Yelm, WA?
KLGX (Langley Hill, WA), about 71 miles west. KATX (Seattle/Tacoma, WA) is 85 miles away and also covers the area.
How often does North Yelm flood?
Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 4 days in the Olympia and Southern Puget Sound forecast zone and Thurston County. TALON's free flash-flood risk layer shows, every 2 minutes, how close the rain that has fallen is to what it takes to flood — turn it on under Layers.
Is TALON's radar for North Yelm 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 North Yelm, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Yelm, WA radar 2 mi
- Rainier, WA radar 6 mi
- DuPont, WA radar 10 mi
- Lacey, WA radar 10 mi
- Tenino, WA radar 14 mi
- Steilacoom, WA radar 14 mi
- Olympia, WA radar 14 mi
- Lakewood, WA radar 14 mi
- Tumwater, WA radar 14 mi
- University Place, WA radar 18 mi