US Nuclear Power Plants Fallout Map – Locations & Live Time Wind Flow

Looking for a U.S. nuclear power plants fallout map? I will explain why there is not one perfect map for this. However, I will recommend how-to, or what to do, for a fallout map based on your relative location to a nuclear power plant, and a map of Live-occurring wind fields.

A United States (or wherever) nuclear power plant disaster, or worst-case meltdown. Although nuclear reactors are apparently mostly incredibly safe, it’s a frightening scenario if a disaster were to occur. As you know, it has happened before…more than once. A nuclear reactor and its fallout.

Being preparedness-minded, you might pre-emptively consider how to know if nuclear fallout from a reactor might affect you and your location.

Fallout Map?

I wondered if there could be such a thing as a nuclear power plants fallout map.

I’ve authored a number of articles on the topic of nuclear reactors, and risk mitigation thereof. In the process, I’ve built several location maps of these nuclear reactors / power plants here in the U.S.

Here’s one that illustrates the location of all the operating nuclear power plants in the United States (I believe there are 104). I have added a 50 mile radius (100 mile diameter) circle around each one.

All fallout is not created equally. Without some kind of massive explosion, the really dangerous radioactive material will remain in the reactor. 

With that said, I’ve chosen a 50-mile radius as a distance factor, given that generally any radioactive fallout will dissipate according to the inverse-square-law. The most dangerous radiation / fallout will likely remain much closer to the reactor than my chosen distance. However, the illustration provides geographical perspective.

Nuclear Power Plant Locations:

U.S. Nuclear Power Plants Map Locations and Fallout

After some consideration, I realized that there’s a very important factor that very much affects any given hypothetical fallout map. What is that factor? (hint… it’s ‘variable’)

WIND and WIND DIRECTION Affects Fallout Risk

A key factor will be the wind patterns during the time of event. Wind direction, and wind speed. This WILL affect the fallout distribution.

Also, if fallout gets into the upper atmosphere (major explosion), then the radioactive particles will begin to distribute widely and will follow upper level wind patterns.

Live Wind Map of the United States to Help Figure Fallout Propagation

The idea here is to first know your geographical location with relation to the nuclear power plant in question. See map above.

Then, get on the internet and check the following live-time wind map as it relates to your general location. This will help you to estimate which way the fallout will be going. Towards you? Away from you?

Click and drag to move the map around. Unfortunately there are no state lines drawn on the map (it does show major rivers). But you should pretty much know where you are…

map embed source: earth.nullschool.net

Note: A long-term wide scale grid-down would be an entirely different scenario and outcome. There are a number of reasons why these nuclear reactors would not survive too terribly long without the grid. And we would all likely be in a world of hurt as a result. But that’s not the focus of this article…

[ Read: 5 Geiger Counter Radiation Detector Choices ]

47 Comments

  1. Well no one forced you to click on it.if your not happy with the site there are always others

  2. I am still here, reading your columns, missing attack on Liberty. I have learned a lot from your blog even though I am not posting much anymore. I am absorbing!

  3. Risk assessment should always be part of preparing. Whether it’s a nuclear power plant, military base, chemical plant, highly trafficked railways, dam, rivers and so on, it makes sense to have the information necessary to assess the risk and decide how and to what extent to prepare. Thanks Ken. I have seen the bomb target maps, but not power plant maps.

    I find it interesting as TPTB are pressuring the country to go green – wind and solar – that Buffet and Gates are financing a new nuclear power plant in Wyoming. Also noted the county in which Jackson Hole is located has, based on one assessment, the starkest difference in wealth between the wealthy and the poor. Jackson Hole is where the ah so la di dah pinky out folks gather to trade financial/insider information each year. Wonder how many of them have their bug out location in that area. And now, they may have a more reliable source of electricity than the rest of us peons.

  4. @siddd,
    I do not post my articles and thoughts to please you, or those in a chat room. Instead, it’s about my views and opinions ( ‘ blog ‘ ), of which some may or may not find interesting or useful. I literally don’t care what you think, given your attitude.

    1. Ken,
      Many of us find your blog interesting, both for your content and post as well as the community of regulars who are really like family as well as yourself honestly,
      I look at the folks here as a nice comfortable spot to sit for a spell and shoot the schitt when time allows,
      Thank you Ken and thank you to the MSB family, you give me hope for our species! 🤪

    2. I live a few miles (too few) from one of the plants. Wind map helped. Thanks.

      1. Thanks, Buck. The wind direction would likely make a pretty big difference. So, thus the reason for this topic. Although probably will never become a concern (hopefully not!). It’s just a little nugget of preparedness sensibility…

    3. Ken J., we appreciate your efforts. Keep on keeping on, ignore the trolls.

  5. Good article, Ken.
    Keeps us informed of the possibilities of severe consequences.
    You still do guest posts, correct?
    Maybe those that complain have the greater abilities to write an article or two.
    Doubt it.

    Same stink,
    Different spelling.

  6. You must believe this site is relevant or you would not be trolling here.

  7. I used to be concerned about a lot of the stuff that everyone is concerned about and I was in that area of concern too, but since I’ve had a stroke ( 60% blockage ), I’ve since started wondering when I’ll be able to be with my wife of 48 yrs again, she passed away of cancer 4 yrs ago. Yes, I still wonder and worry about my sons and their families, and my grand kids and great grand kids, BUT?

  8. Hi
    I live in Iowa. The Duane Arnold Plant in Palo Iowa, went off line in Aug 2020. The owners are putting in a solar farm.

    I’ve been reading the great information for 3 years, at least.

    Thank you, Ken.

  9. This is my first comment. However, I see it necessary considering the earlier comments. I visit this site daily and often find the content exactly what I need. I will remain a frequent reader and thank you for your work.

    1. Thanks, Rusty. Thanks for visiting. You are an example of what many others don’t realize… There are LOTS of people who visit the site – based on statistical data. Only a very small fraction regularly comment. It’s just the way it is on the internet. Most don’t comment. I visit a ton of sites every day, but never comment on the sites I visit.

    2. I agree with Rusty… great site, very informative, and a daily read! Also, I like this article, since it is relevant and a concern of mine.

  10. I tend to agree with you siddd, but Ken’s information base for prepping is massive and worthwhile tapping into. Give it a shot.
    Keep prepping and prepare for hard-core Martial Law (ML). Soft-core ML is already here and has been for years…primarily since the Patriot Act was signed into law. Thanks to Bush. Now that the Marxists have taken over its much more necessary to prepare for ML. Stay tuned for more “false flag” operations during this administration especially related to firearms to include red flag confiscations. The Marxists love this one.

  11. What happened to the “Attack on Liberty” Website? Keeps timing out on me.

    1. For future reference, please use the open forum for off-topic Q&A, etc. Thanks.
      To answer your question, it has gone dark.

  12. Mornin’ Ken :
    I, too, have been a follower of your blog for years now, and appreciate your work.
    Keep it up.

  13. Stepped out on the front porch last evening…it was full dark…except for an unusual bright orange glow on the east horizon formed by a distant ridge of the mountains…the underside of clouds above that ridge were glowing brightly…

    I’ve seen similar when we would be experiencing forest fires…but I knew it had been far to wet for that…

    Then my mind went to this article Ken offered…while I still wasn’t sure what I was seeing off to the east…I really wasn’t worried about it being a nuclear detonation…the “what if?” did cross my mind…what if it was a disaster occurring?….what would be my best next move?….

    Then…a bright orange thumbnail crescent of the rising moon peeked over that distant ridge…and my daughter, my grand daughter, and I…witnessed one of the most awesome moon risings in my memory….

    I share this for a coupla reasons…

    First, life is good on the mountain…probably is where you’re at too…if you take time to realize it…

    Secondly,…for those who choose to attack Ken…articles/threads like this one make you think…what if?…and plant a seed to ponder on…and just those few moments of pondering just might make you better prepared should this, otherwise unthinkable, event happen….

    Have a good’un folks…..

  14. Well Richard Noggins, I have found this type of information very useful in the past. I spent a lot of years in the middle east where it was a concern which way the prevailing winds blew in the instance Iran either let their endeavors get away from them or nuked Israel. I did this exact search nine years ago. By the way, your grammar is lacking.

      1. Baboy Damo,

        Took me a second…but made the connection of Richard Noggins and siddd…touche…

  15. This is one of the first blogs I turn to most days. Some articles I find useful and some, not so. You’d probably feel much the same about my opinions. Ken, I appreciate the fact that your blog addresses current topics of preparedness and practical application rather than political and religious rants.

  16. Ken, as a former reactor operator I find the information you post entirely relevant, especially today with society devolving into what it has become. A big Bravo Zulu (well done) to you sir.

  17. My experience was the US Navy. Their record is the safest in the industry. I am still a fan of the PWR (pressurized water cycle) design as opposed to the BWR (boiling water cycle). The Fukushima plants were early GE BWR designs.

    1. T MSR’s would make the future much safer if the industry can survive the politicians. The sale of our uranium reserves by the Hildebeest (Clinton) to Russian interests (Euratom?) didn’t help. From what I’ve read, our current source of fuel is from reprocessed Russian nukes and the world supply may not keep up with future demand. The AB 36 was one of if not the largest aircraft (by wingspan) used by the USAF. It had 6 turboprops and 4 jet engines. I saw a video of a operating plant as one flew over lake mead in the early 60’s.

  18. Sidddddddddddd, I didn’t realize one could stutter in print, thought it was a vocal issue, a stuttering troll, interesting.

  19. – This is a subject of personal interest to me. A few years back my family and I were in Germany when Chernobyl blew and the prevailing winds dumped a good bit of fallout on us. I was about 70 miles downwind in a high, dry windy mountain pass (the Fulda Gap) and my wife and kids were a bit further away in the Rhine River valley (nice moist fertile area).

    I was in the field for an exercise for the Army, and we were monitoring the radiation, but it was not felt we were being exposed to dangerous amounts. My family was in the area where AFN was advising people not to go outside, stay off of grassy areas, and such. No fresh anything, TV and newspapers showing farmers dumping huge amounts of milk.

    My kids telling me about their friends eating the Cheerios with orange juice because they didn’t have milk of any kind. No fresh meat, no vegetables, even bread. Basically, if it didn’t come out of a can, or your own refrigerator or freezer, you couldn’t have it.

    Long time results? DW has had cancer (20-year survivor), eldest DD who was just starting her periods has had massive GYN problems, youngest DD who was in her last trimester of development in pregnancy grew up being evaluated for failure to thrive, several possible immune problems, suspected child abuse (she wasn’t) and multiple other problems.

    Myself, I have to tell every doctor about my exposure. So far, just funny things in my blood have shown up.

    So, yeah, it’s of personal interest to me and mine.

    – Papa S.

  20. All the land based reactors ever built in the US except for 2 sites that have been closed and dismantled are required by law to have a containment structure strong enough to withstand a loss of coolant accident and subsequent meltdown. Early Russian, English and Canadian plants do not have this engineered safeguard. Chernobyl was a primitive graphite moderated design (similar to the Chalk river plant in Canada and the Windscale plant in England that also failed) that caught on fire from a Wigner energy release in the graphite moderator due to operation beyond the design limits of the reactor. You couldn’t pay me to go to certain regions of this world, let alone live there. The first reactor ever built and operated in this country under the Chicago University squash court during WWII was a graphite moderated design without a containment. Water moderated and cooled reactors will not sustain criticality without the water to slow the neutron flux, however they would still melt due to the decay heat, as happened at Three Mile Island and the SL-1 at Arco, Idaho. SL-1 occurred because of a procedural error that resulted in a prompt jump (reactivity addition rate accident). US reactors are also required to have negative temperature coefficient of reactivity (the hotter it gets, the less it fissions, hence the less power out).

    1. OH,
      What are your thoughts on this “Natrona” reactor they want to put in Wyoming?

  21. OH,
    Check out natriumpower dot com. Looks like a sodium cooled “fast” reactor, uses “high assay low enriched uranium” (HALEU) fuel. They are touting that this process will take less concrete and lighter metal components, but will operate at higher temperatures.

  22. The Navy tested one of those early on in one of their submarines but decided against it because of maintenance on tube leaks from the corrosive and high activity sodium which also reacts chemically in a exothermic way with the secondary water. The advantage is greater Rankine cycle efficiency from superheated steam, cheaper fuel and the use of natural circulation heat transfer.

    1. Was wondering about corrosion, but apparently they have figured out the metallurgy now. I was remembering the SNAP reactors they had tested in S.Cali in the 60s, were I believe corrosion in one caused it to melt down. This Natrium reactor is likely a different configuration.

  23. Retired from the power industry in 2012 . I’ve been on jobsites decommissioning reactors . Some of which the public never even knew said reactors existed . I learned a few things . First off who , what , controls and operates all the reactors in FUSA ? The same folk that run the post office . The gubmint ! If that don’t keep you awake at night you are ignorant or stupid . To give you an example of how much faith I have in the nuclear power industry and/or the gubmint , I have a fall out shelter on my homestead equipped with around 10,000 doses of potassium iodide and a big box of Israeli gas masks . Two diesel vehicles with non-electric fired injectors that will get me out of Dodge after an emp blast . For an interesting study on nuclear attacks on the FUSA try reading Dumitru Dudumands prophecies .He said the FUSA would be nuked by Russia right after a rebellion/insurrection started by the communists occurs in the heartland of the country . Has anyone noticed how hard the current administration is poking the patriots in their eye with a sharp stick ?

  24. thanks Ken for putting this information up so that us people can come to this website and reast are wondering minds about when the bombs are gonna drop and what we are having to do to protect are selfs and are family’s just in case the bombs go up and I was reading some of the other people’s comments and some of them were throwing out some information and one of them I did not like because he just wanted to be a troll and by the way thank you again Ken

  25. For those interested, FEMA is holding a webinar seeking input on their latest draft of Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation. Click the embedded link to read the draft. fema.gov/event/national-engagement-seminar-planning-guidance-response-nuclear-detonation

  26. After Russia just invaded Ukraine, I found myself wanting to do some nuclear bomb strike research. This site provided great info. Thank you.

  27. Imagine being so vile that you have to pass laws stating normal people can not hate you. Imagine a story being so fake that you have to pass laws stating that normal people can not question or investigate said story. “If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered…. I believe that Jewish banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies…. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.” “Thomas Jefferson”… Kennedy printed usury free 5 dollar bills and planned to produce 10s 20s 50s .. that is why they killed him, Hitler ended the usury in Germany and Germany made a goods and labor backed currency, taking away the jews usury world power threatening their NWO world domination slave world plan. German economy boomed as never before. thus W W 2 and 50 million more murdered by j***. we will never be free as long as the j** controls our currency,

  28. funny how much this matter NOW! lol, maybe a little less pie hole matter, and more paying attention!

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