Portia, AR Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for PortiaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Portia?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 86 days in the Lawrence forecast zone and Lawrence County — the most common reported hazard around Portia, mostly in July and May. Next come flooding (74 days) and flash flooding (37 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds86Mar 2026Jun 5, 2014 · 1 death
Flooding74Jul 2025May 1, 2017 · $5.0 million damage
Flash flooding37Oct 2025May 3, 2017 · $2.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms31Feb 2025Dec 13, 2000 · $100,000 damage
Excessive heat31Aug 2018—
Ice storms & sleet5Jan 2024Dec 3, 2002 · 1 death · $1.1 million damage
High winds3May 2019Jan 29, 2008 · $30,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms2Aug 2020Sep 14, 2008 · $62,000 damage

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 Lawrence forecast zone and Lawrence County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Portia?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KNQA (Memphis, TN), about 84 miles southeast. 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 PortiaView
KNQA
Memphis, TN		84 mi southeast7,500 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLZK
Little Rock, AR		109 mi southwest11,000 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPAH
Paducah, KY		145 mi east-northeast17,100 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 Portia

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 87 tornadoes within 25 miles of Portia, 34 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in March and April. The strongest was an F4 on May 15, 1968, which passed about 23 miles south of town and caused 35 deaths. The most recent was an EF2 on April 2, 2025, which passed about 13 miles northeast of town.

Hail: 183 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 16 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on April 9, 2015.

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 Portia'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.

Portia radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Portia, AR?

KNQA (Memphis, TN), about 84 miles southeast. KLZK (Little Rock, AR) is 109 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Portia?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Portia the lowest scan from KNQA is about 7,500 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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