Bethany Beach, DE Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Bethany BeachWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Bethany Beach?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 171 days in the Delaware Beaches forecast zone and Sussex County — the most common reported hazard around Bethany Beach, mostly in June and July. Next come coastal flooding (76 days) and high winds (57 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds171Jun 2026Jun 4, 2008 · $250,000 damage
Coastal flooding76Feb 2026Nov 12, 2009 · $40 million damage
High winds57Feb 2026Oct 29, 2012 · $200,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage57Jun 2026Aug 30, 2003 · $800,000 damage
Excessive heat53Jul 2015—
Flash flooding46Jul 2025Aug 11, 2001 · $1.1 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms29Feb 2025Feb 9, 2010 · $1.5 million damage
Flooding28Sep 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 Delaware Beaches forecast zone and Sussex County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Bethany Beach?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDOX (Dover AFB, DE), about 28 miles 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 Bethany BeachView
KDOX
Dover AFB, DE		28 mi northwest1,700 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KDIX
Philadelphia, NJ		103 mi north-northeast10,100 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLWX
Sterling, MD		134 mi west-northwest15,200 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 Bethany Beach

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 24 tornadoes within 25 miles of Bethany Beach, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and June. The strongest was an EF2 on April 15, 2019, which passed about 25 miles west-northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on June 30, 2025, which touched down about 8 miles west of town.

Hail: 36 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 3 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.25-inch hail on May 16, 2022.

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 Bethany Beach'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.

Bethany Beach radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Bethany Beach, DE?

KDOX (Dover AFB, DE), about 28 miles northwest. KDIX (Philadelphia, NJ) is 103 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Bethany Beach?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Bethany Beach the lowest scan from KDOX is about 1,700 ft up.

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

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