diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop/weather.ex b/lib/microwaveprop/weather.ex
index cd005add..4be15ba5 100644
--- a/lib/microwaveprop/weather.ex
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop/weather.ex
@@ -362,6 +362,31 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Weather do
     %{surface_observations: surface_observations, soundings: soundings}
   end
 
+  @sounding_search_radii_km [150, 300, 600, 1000]
+
+  @doc """
+  Search for soundings in widening radii around the given location, stopping
+  at the first radius that returns any. Returns `%{soundings, radius_km,
+  exhausted}` where `exhausted: true` means the widest radius also came up
+  empty — the caller should trigger a fetch for missing data at that point.
+  """
+  @spec soundings_with_widening_radius(map()) :: %{
+          soundings: [Sounding.t()],
+          radius_km: pos_integer(),
+          exhausted: boolean()
+        }
+  def soundings_with_widening_radius(params) do
+    Enum.reduce_while(@sounding_search_radii_km, nil, fn radius_km, _acc ->
+      result = weather_for_contact(params, radius_km: radius_km)
+
+      if result.soundings == [] do
+        {:cont, %{soundings: [], radius_km: radius_km, exhausted: true}}
+      else
+        {:halt, %{soundings: result.soundings, radius_km: radius_km, exhausted: false}}
+      end
+    end)
+  end
+
   @spec latest_grid_valid_time() :: DateTime.t() | nil
   def latest_grid_valid_time do
     cond do
diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop/workers/contact_weather_enqueue_worker.ex b/lib/microwaveprop/workers/contact_weather_enqueue_worker.ex
index cd881ed0..23c487ee 100644
--- a/lib/microwaveprop/workers/contact_weather_enqueue_worker.ex
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop/workers/contact_weather_enqueue_worker.ex
@@ -391,23 +391,74 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Workers.ContactWeatherEnqueueWorker do
   end
 
   defp build_raob_jobs(lat, lon, timestamp) do
+    build_raob_jobs(lat, lon, timestamp, @sounding_radius_km, nil)
+  end
+
+  defp build_raob_jobs(lat, lon, timestamp, radius_km, contact_id) do
     sounding_times = Weather.sounding_times_around(timestamp)
-    stations = Weather.nearby_stations(lat, lon, "sounding", @sounding_radius_km)
+    stations = Weather.nearby_stations(lat, lon, "sounding", radius_km)
     station_ids = Enum.map(stations, & &1.id)
     covered = Weather.station_ids_with_soundings(station_ids, sounding_times)
 
     for station <- stations,
         sounding_time <- sounding_times,
         not MapSet.member?(covered, {station.id, sounding_time}) do
-      WeatherFetchWorker.new(%{
-        "fetch_type" => "raob",
-        "station_id" => station.id,
-        "station_code" => station.station_code,
-        "sounding_time" => DateTime.to_iso8601(sounding_time)
-      })
+      args =
+        Map.merge(
+          %{
+            "fetch_type" => "raob",
+            "station_id" => station.id,
+            "station_code" => station.station_code,
+            "sounding_time" => DateTime.to_iso8601(sounding_time)
+          },
+          if(contact_id, do: %{"contact_id" => contact_id}, else: %{})
+        )
+
+      WeatherFetchWorker.new(args)
     end
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Enqueue RAOB fetch jobs for the given contact at a progressively wider
+  radius until the radius yields at least one sounding station. Passes
+  the contact id through so `WeatherFetchWorker` can PubSub the contact
+  detail page when each sounding lands.
+
+  Returns `{:ok, %{radius_km, jobs_enqueued}}`, or `{:error, :no_stations}`
+  when even 1000 km finds nothing.
+  """
+  @spec enqueue_raob_fetch_with_widening(Microwaveprop.Radio.Contact.t()) ::
+          {:ok, %{radius_km: pos_integer(), jobs_enqueued: non_neg_integer()}}
+          | {:error, :no_stations}
+          | {:error, :no_coords}
+  def enqueue_raob_fetch_with_widening(contact) do
+    case Radio.contact_path_points(contact) do
+      [] ->
+        {:error, :no_coords}
+
+      [{lat, lon} | _] ->
+        do_widening_raob(lat, lon, contact)
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp do_widening_raob(lat, lon, contact) do
+    Enum.reduce_while([150, 300, 600, 1000], {:error, :no_stations}, fn radius, _acc ->
+      stations = Weather.nearby_stations(lat, lon, "sounding", radius)
+
+      if stations == [] do
+        {:cont, {:error, :no_stations}}
+      else
+        {:halt, enqueue_raob_at_radius(lat, lon, contact, radius)}
+      end
+    end)
+  end
+
+  defp enqueue_raob_at_radius(lat, lon, contact, radius) do
+    jobs = build_raob_jobs(lat, lon, contact.qso_timestamp, radius, contact.id)
+    if jobs != [], do: insert_all_chunked(jobs)
+    {:ok, %{radius_km: radius, jobs_enqueued: length(jobs)}}
+  end
+
   defp insert_all_chunked(jobs) do
     jobs
     |> Enum.chunk_every(@insert_batch_size)
diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop/workers/weather_fetch_worker.ex b/lib/microwaveprop/workers/weather_fetch_worker.ex
index 3a98c72c..5edbb2fe 100644
--- a/lib/microwaveprop/workers/weather_fetch_worker.ex
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop/workers/weather_fetch_worker.ex
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Workers.WeatherFetchWorker do
       "sounding_time" => sounding_time_str
     } = args
 
+    contact_id = Map.get(args, "contact_id")
+
     {:ok, sounding_time, _} = DateTime.from_iso8601(sounding_time_str)
 
     case Repo.get(Station, station_id) do
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Workers.WeatherFetchWorker do
         :ok
 
       station ->
-        fetch_raob(station, station_id, station_code, sounding_time, sounding_time_str)
+        fetch_raob(station, station_id, station_code, sounding_time, sounding_time_str, contact_id)
     end
   end
 
@@ -113,24 +115,26 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Workers.WeatherFetchWorker do
 
   # -- RAOB helpers --
 
-  defp fetch_raob(station, station_id, station_code, sounding_time, sounding_time_str) do
+  defp fetch_raob(station, station_id, station_code, sounding_time, sounding_time_str, contact_id) do
     if Weather.has_sounding?(station.id, sounding_time) do
       Logger.debug("WeatherFetch RAOB: #{station_code} already has sounding for #{sounding_time_str}")
+      broadcast_sounding_fetched(station_id, contact_id)
       :ok
     else
       Logger.info("WeatherFetch RAOB: fetching #{station_code} for #{sounding_time_str}")
-      do_fetch_raob(station, station_id, station_code, sounding_time, sounding_time_str)
+      do_fetch_raob(station, station_id, station_code, sounding_time, sounding_time_str, contact_id)
     end
   end
 
-  defp do_fetch_raob(station, station_id, station_code, sounding_time, sounding_time_str) do
+  defp do_fetch_raob(station, station_id, station_code, sounding_time, sounding_time_str, contact_id) do
     case IemClient.fetch_raob(station_code, sounding_time) do
       {:ok, [parsed | _]} ->
-        ingest_raob(station, station_id, station_code, parsed)
+        ingest_raob(station, station_id, station_code, parsed, contact_id)
 
       {:ok, []} ->
         Weather.upsert_sounding(station, %{observed_at: sounding_time, profile: [], level_count: 0})
         Logger.info("WeatherFetch RAOB: #{station_code} no data for #{sounding_time_str}, stored stub")
+        broadcast_sounding_fetched(station_id, contact_id)
         :ok
 
       {:error, reason} ->
@@ -139,18 +143,30 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.Workers.WeatherFetchWorker do
     end
   end
 
-  defp ingest_raob(station, station_id, station_code, parsed) do
+  defp ingest_raob(station, station_id, station_code, parsed, contact_id) do
     sounding_attrs = build_sounding_attrs(parsed)
     Weather.upsert_sounding(station, sounding_attrs)
     Logger.info("WeatherFetch RAOB: #{station_code} ingested sounding with #{length(parsed.profile)} levels")
 
+    broadcast_sounding_fetched(station_id, contact_id)
+
+    :ok
+  end
+
+  defp broadcast_sounding_fetched(station_id, contact_id) do
     Phoenix.PubSub.broadcast(
       Microwaveprop.PubSub,
       "contact_enrichment:weather",
       {:weather_ready, %{station_id: station_id}}
     )
 
-    :ok
+    if contact_id do
+      Phoenix.PubSub.broadcast(
+        Microwaveprop.PubSub,
+        "contact_enrichment:#{contact_id}",
+        {:sounding_fetched, %{station_id: station_id, contact_id: contact_id}}
+      )
+    end
   end
 
   defp build_sounding_attrs(parsed) do
diff --git a/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/contact_live/show.ex b/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/contact_live/show.ex
index ed2b356f..b71b8d31 100644
--- a/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/contact_live/show.ex
+++ b/lib/microwaveprop_web/live/contact_live/show.ex
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
         can_enqueue: can_enqueue,
         surface_observations: [],
         soundings: [],
+        sounding_search_radius_km: nil,
+        sounding_search_pending?: false,
         solar: nil,
         hrrr: nil,
         hrrr_path: [],
@@ -364,9 +366,12 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
       |> assign(
         contact: contact,
         surface_observations: weather.surface_observations,
-        soundings: weather.soundings
+        soundings: weather.soundings,
+        sounding_search_radius_km: Map.get(weather, :sounding_search_radius_km),
+        sounding_search_pending?: false
       )
       |> mark_hydrated(:weather)
+      |> maybe_kick_off_sounding_fetch(weather)
       |> refresh_computed()
 
     {:noreply, socket}
@@ -447,6 +452,26 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
   end
 
   @impl true
+  def handle_info({:sounding_fetched, %{contact_id: contact_id}}, socket) do
+    if socket.assigns.contact.id == contact_id do
+      contact = socket.assigns.contact
+      weather = load_weather(contact)
+
+      socket =
+        socket
+        |> assign(
+          soundings: weather.soundings,
+          sounding_search_radius_km: weather.sounding_search_radius_km,
+          sounding_search_pending?: weather.soundings == []
+        )
+        |> refresh_computed()
+
+      {:noreply, socket}
+    else
+      {:noreply, socket}
+    end
+  end
+
   def handle_info({:terrain_ready, _contact_id}, socket) do
     contact = %{socket.assigns.contact | terrain_status: :complete}
     terrain = Terrain.get_terrain_profile(contact.id)
@@ -464,6 +489,39 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
      )}
   end
 
+  # Soundings are sparse, so even the 1000 km widening search can come up
+  # empty for a given contact when no RAOB data has been ingested yet.
+  # When that happens, enqueue fetches for stations at the widest radius
+  # that has any; the WeatherFetchWorker broadcasts back via
+  # `contact_enrichment:<contact_id>` so this LiveView rehydrates when
+  # each sounding lands.
+  defp maybe_kick_off_sounding_fetch(socket, weather) do
+    contact = socket.assigns.contact
+
+    cond do
+      not socket.assigns.can_enqueue ->
+        socket
+
+      not Map.get(weather, :sounding_search_exhausted?, false) ->
+        socket
+
+      is_nil(contact.pos1) ->
+        socket
+
+      true ->
+        case ContactWeatherEnqueueWorker.enqueue_raob_fetch_with_widening(contact) do
+          {:ok, %{jobs_enqueued: jobs, radius_km: radius}} when jobs > 0 ->
+            assign(socket,
+              sounding_search_pending?: true,
+              sounding_search_radius_km: radius
+            )
+
+          _ ->
+            socket
+        end
+    end
+  end
+
   defp maybe_enqueue_weather(weather, contact) do
     has_data = weather.surface_observations != [] or weather.soundings != []
 
@@ -582,7 +640,12 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
         fetch_weather_for_path(contact, lat1, lon1, lat2, lon2)
 
       :error ->
-        %{surface_observations: [], soundings: []}
+        %{
+          surface_observations: [],
+          soundings: [],
+          sounding_search_exhausted?: false,
+          sounding_search_radius_km: nil
+        }
     end
   end
 
@@ -611,9 +674,22 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
         radius_km: radius
       )
 
+    # The surface-observation radius tracks the path geometry, but
+    # soundings are sparse (~120/day nationwide) so we widen out to
+    # 1000 km before giving up and letting the fetch-on-demand path
+    # (handle_async(:soundings_widen)) backfill from IEM.
+    sounding_search =
+      Weather.soundings_with_widening_radius(%{
+        lat: mid_lat,
+        lon: mid_lon,
+        timestamp: contact.qso_timestamp
+      })
+
     %{
       surface_observations: closest_observations(weather.surface_observations, mid_lat, mid_lon, 5),
-      soundings: weather.soundings
+      soundings: sounding_search.soundings,
+      sounding_search_exhausted?: sounding_search.exhausted,
+      sounding_search_radius_km: sounding_search.radius_km
     }
   end
 
@@ -1149,13 +1225,18 @@ defmodule MicrowavepropWeb.ContactLive.Show do
               <span class="flex items-center gap-2">
                 <span class="loading loading-spinner loading-sm"></span> Loading soundings…
               </span>
+            <% @sounding_search_pending? -> %>
+              <span class="flex items-center gap-2">
+                <span class="loading loading-spinner loading-sm"></span>
+                Fetching soundings from IEM (search radius {@sounding_search_radius_km} km)…
+              </span>
             <% @contact.weather_status == :queued -> %>
               <span class="flex items-center gap-2">
                 <span class="loading loading-spinner loading-sm"></span>
                 Fetching sounding data from nearby stations {queue_info(@queue_counts, "weather")}
               </span>
             <% true -> %>
-              No soundings found nearby.
+              No soundings found within 1000 km.
           <% end %>
         </div>
       <% else %>
diff --git a/test/microwaveprop/weather_test.exs b/test/microwaveprop/weather_test.exs
index ff287d72..6056c6c6 100644
--- a/test/microwaveprop/weather_test.exs
+++ b/test/microwaveprop/weather_test.exs
@@ -203,6 +203,53 @@ defmodule Microwaveprop.WeatherTest do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "soundings_with_widening_radius/1" do
+    test "returns soundings at the first radius that finds any" do
+      # Station ~220 km east of the query point: outside the 150 km ring
+      # but inside the 300 km ring.
+      {:ok, far_station} =
+        Weather.find_or_create_station(%{
+          station_code: "FAR",
+          station_type: "sounding",
+          wmo_number: 72_001,
+          name: "Far Site",
+          lat: 32.9,
+          lon: -94.6
+        })
+
+      Weather.upsert_sounding(far_station, %{
+        observed_at: ~U[2026-03-28 12:00:00Z],
+        profile: [%{"pres" => 1013, "hght" => 100, "tmpc" => 20, "dwpc" => 10}],
+        level_count: 1
+      })
+
+      result =
+        Weather.soundings_with_widening_radius(%{
+          lat: 32.9,
+          lon: -97.0,
+          timestamp: ~U[2026-03-28 14:00:00Z]
+        })
+
+      assert result.soundings != []
+      # 130 km is outside 150 but inside 300
+      assert result.radius_km == 300
+      refute result.exhausted
+    end
+
+    test "reports exhausted when no soundings exist within the widest radius" do
+      result =
+        Weather.soundings_with_widening_radius(%{
+          lat: 32.9,
+          lon: -97.0,
+          timestamp: ~U[2026-03-28 14:00:00Z]
+        })
+
+      assert result.soundings == []
+      assert result.exhausted
+      assert result.radius_km == 1000
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "has_surface_observations?/3" do
     test "returns true when observations exist in the time window" do
       {:ok, station} = Weather.find_or_create_station(@station_attrs)