South Prairie, WA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for South PrairieWhat TALON shows

What weather hits South Prairie?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged lightning damage or injuries on 5 days in the Foothills and Valleys of Pierce and Southern King Counties forecast zone and Pierce County — the most common reported hazard around South Prairie, mostly in September and February. Next come flooding (3 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (1 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Lightning casualties & damage5Sep 2013Sep 5, 2013 · $5,000 damage
Flooding3Dec 2015Jan 7, 2009 · $8.8 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds1May 2013May 13, 2013 · $30,000 damage
Debris flows1Mar 2017—

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 Foothills and Valleys of Pierce and Southern King Counties forecast zone and Pierce County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does South Prairie get?

A normal year brings about 4.3 inches of snow to South Prairie, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Buckley 1 Ne weather station 5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually November (1.5 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.01.51.10.21.30.20.00.0

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

Which radars cover South Prairie?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KATX (Seattle/Tacoma, WA), about 76 miles north-northwest. 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 South PrairieView
KATX
Seattle/Tacoma, WA		76 mi north-northwest6,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLGX
Langley Hill, WA		95 mi west8,800 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KRTX
Portland, OR		107 mi south-southwest10,600 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 South Prairie

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 9 tornadoes within 25 miles of South Prairie. Most came in June and September. The strongest was an EF1 on September 6, 2009, which passed about 4 miles north-northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on April 27, 2014, which touched down about 20 miles south-southwest of town.

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 South Prairie'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.

South Prairie radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to South Prairie, WA?

KATX (Seattle/Tacoma, WA), about 76 miles north-northwest. KLGX (Langley Hill, WA) is 95 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near South Prairie?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over South Prairie the lowest scan from KATX is about 6,300 ft up — fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation.

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

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