Cawood, KY Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for CawoodWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Cawood?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 92 days in the Harlan forecast zone and Harlan County — the most common reported hazard around Cawood, mostly in July and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (82 days) and flash flooding (26 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds92May 2025Feb 21, 1997 · 2 deaths · $10,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms82Feb 2026Jan 27, 1998 · $20,000 damage
Flash flooding26Jul 2022Apr 17, 2013 · $1.0 million damage
Flooding20Mar 2021Feb 6, 2020 · $5.0 million damage
High winds10Sep 2024Oct 17, 2006 · $150,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet4Feb 2021—
Debris flows2Apr 2003—
Excessive heat2Aug 2010—

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

How much snow does Cawood get?

A normal year brings about 9.3 inches of snow to Cawood, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Pennington Gap weather station 12.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (3.5 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.00.01.83.52.81.10.10.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Cawood?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMRX (Knoxville, TN), about 44 miles south-southwest. 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 CawoodView
KMRX
Knoxville, TN		44 mi south-southwest3,000 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KJKL
Jackson, KY		55 mi north4,100 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KRLX
Charleston, WV		134 mi northeast15,100 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 Cawood

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 20 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cawood, 1 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and March. The strongest was an F2 on July 6, 1980, which passed about 15 miles south of town. The most recent was an EF1 on September 24, 2024, which passed about 18 miles south-southeast of town.

Hail: 143 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 17 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 5.00-inch hail on April 23, 1968.

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 Cawood'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.

Cawood radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cawood, KY?

KMRX (Knoxville, TN), about 44 miles south-southwest. KJKL (Jackson, KY) is 55 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Cawood?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cawood the lowest scan from KMRX is about 3,000 ft up.

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

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