Ritzville, WA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for RitzvilleWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Ritzville?

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 Adams County — the most common reported hazard around Ritzville, mostly in January and December. Next come dust storms (22 days) and wildfires (18 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms46Apr 2023Feb 4, 2020 · 1 death
Dust storms22Apr 2025Sep 7, 2020 · $150,000 damage
Wildfires18Jun 2026Jun 21, 2026 · $4.9 million damage
High winds15Apr 2022Apr 4, 2022 · $5.3 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds9Jun 2024May 30, 2020 · 1 death · $15,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet5Dec 2020Jan 13, 2009 · $2.0 million damage
Flooding4Feb 2017Feb 16, 2017 · $200,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill3Nov 2010—

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 Adams County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Ritzville get?

A normal year brings about 16 inches of snow to Ritzville, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Ritzville 1 Sse weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually January (5.9 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.02.44.25.91.91.20.10.0

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

Which radars cover Ritzville?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 52 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over RitzvilleView
KOTX
Spokane, WA		52 mi northeast3,800 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KPDT
Pendleton, OR		102 mi south-southwest9,800 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KATX
Seattle/Tacoma, WA		206 mi west-northwest30,600 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 Ritzville

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 2 tornadoes within 25 miles of Ritzville. The strongest was an F0 on May 6, 1957, which touched down about 23 miles north-northeast of town. The most recent was an F0 on May 12, 1980, which touched down near town.

Hail: 4 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955; the largest was 1.75-inch hail on July 10, 1998.

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 Ritzville'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.

Ritzville radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Ritzville, WA?

KOTX (Spokane, WA), about 52 miles northeast. KPDT (Pendleton, OR) is 102 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Ritzville?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Ritzville the lowest scan from KOTX is about 3,800 ft up.

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

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