Lake Placid, FL Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lake PlacidWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Lake Placid?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 51 days in the Highlands forecast zone and Highlands County — the most common reported hazard around Lake Placid, mostly in June and April. Next come hurricanes & tropical storms (18 days) and lightning casualties & damage (16 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds51Jun 2026Mar 9, 1998 · $150,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms18Oct 2024Sep 10, 2017 · 4 deaths · $430 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage16Sep 2025Sep 22, 2025 · 2 deaths
Flooding11Aug 2008Mar 21, 1998 · $850,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill4Oct 2008—
High winds4Sep 2004Sep 25, 2004 · $452 million damage
Wildfires2May 2017—
Flash flooding2Sep 2000Nov 13, 1997 · $100,000 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 Highlands forecast zone and Highlands County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Lake Placid?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KTBW (Tampa, FL), about 69 miles west-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 Lake PlacidView
KTBW
Tampa, FL		69 mi west-northwest5,600 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMLB
Melbourne, FL		71 mi northeast5,800 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KAMX
Miami, FL		131 mi south-southeast14,600 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 Lake Placid

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 58 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lake Placid, 6 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and October. The strongest was an EF3 on October 9, 2024, which passed about 22 miles southeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on October 9, 2024, which passed about 22 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 34 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 1 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.00-inch hail on July 25, 1990.

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 Lake Placid'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.

Lake Placid radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lake Placid, FL?

KTBW (Tampa, FL), about 69 miles west-northwest. KMLB (Melbourne, FL) is 71 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Lake Placid?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Lake Placid the lowest scan from KTBW is about 5,600 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

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