West Van Lear, KY Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for West Van Lear, Johnson County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for West Van LearWhat TALON shows

What weather hits West Van Lear?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 102 days in the Johnson forecast zone and Johnson County — the most common reported hazard around West Van Lear, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (42 days) and flash flooding (33 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds102Dec 2025Jul 4, 2018 · $60,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms42Jan 2026Jan 6, 1996 · $5,000 damage
Flash flooding33Apr 2025Jul 13, 2015 · 4 deaths · $3.5 million damage
Flooding14Mar 2021May 31, 2004 · $4.0 million damage
Ice storms & sleet6Feb 2021—
High winds6Sep 2024Sep 27, 2024 · $20,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill4Feb 2015—
Excessive heat4Aug 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 Johnson forecast zone and Johnson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover West Van Lear?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KJKL (Jackson, KY), about 32 miles west-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 West Van LearView
KJKL
Jackson, KY		32 mi west-southwest2,000 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KRLX
Charleston, WV		68 mi east-northeast5,500 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KMRX
Knoxville, TN		117 mi south-southwest12,200 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 West Van Lear

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 12 tornadoes within 25 miles of West Van Lear, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an EF3 on March 2, 2012, which passed about 16 miles north of town and caused 10 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on August 7, 2023, which passed about 25 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 185 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on May 19, 1967.

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 West Van Lear'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.

West Van Lear radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to West Van Lear, KY?

KJKL (Jackson, KY), about 32 miles west-southwest. KRLX (Charleston, WV) is 68 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in West Van Lear?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over West Van Lear the lowest scan from KJKL is about 2,000 ft up.

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

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