El Rancho, WY Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for El Rancho, Platte County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits El Rancho?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged high winds on 217 days in the East Platte County forecast zone and Platte County — the most common reported hazard around El Rancho, mostly in December and February. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (56 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (54 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| High winds | 217 | Jun 2026 | Mar 12, 2026 · $30,000 damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 56 | Mar 2025 | — |
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 54 | Jun 2026 | Jul 13, 1996 · $10,000 damage |
| Flash flooding | 19 | Jun 2026 | Sep 14, 1996 · $100,000 damage |
| Extreme cold & wind chill | 9 | Jan 2026 | — |
| Flooding | 6 | May 2018 | Jul 19, 1997 · $5,000 damage |
| Blizzards | 5 | Oct 2021 | — |
| Wildfires | 2 | Aug 2024 | — |
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 East Platte County forecast zone and Platte County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does El Rancho get?
A normal year brings about 40 inches of snow to El Rancho, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Wheatland 4 N weather station 12 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (7.8 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2 | 4.3 | 5.7 | 4.6 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 5.4 | 1.4 |
Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.
Which radars cover El Rancho?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCYS (Cheyenne, WY), about 78 miles south. 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 El Rancho | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KCYS Cheyenne, WY | 78 mi south | 6,700 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KUDX Rapid City, SD | 170 mi northeast | 22,300 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KFTG Denver/Boulder, CO | 173 mi south | 23,000 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 El Rancho
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 32 tornadoes within 25 miles of El Rancho, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and May. The strongest was an EF2 on June 7, 2012, which passed about 15 miles south-southwest of town. The most recent was a tornado of unknown strength on May 27, 2023, which passed about 24 miles west-northwest of town.
Hail: 228 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 32 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on September 10, 2019.
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 El Rancho'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.
El Rancho radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to El Rancho, WY?
KCYS (Cheyenne, WY), about 78 miles south. KUDX (Rapid City, SD) is 170 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in El Rancho?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over El Rancho the lowest scan from KCYS is about 6,700 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.
Is TALON's radar for El Rancho 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 El Rancho, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Guernsey, WY radar 16 mi
- Wheatland, WY radar 16 mi
- Douglas, WY radar 38 mi
- Lusk, WY radar 45 mi
- Torrington, WY radar 47 mi
- Glenrock, WY radar 58 mi