Charenton, LA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for CharentonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Charenton?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 46 days in the Upper St. Mary forecast zone and St. Mary County — the most common reported hazard around Charenton, mostly in May and March. Next come flash flooding (21 days) and lightning casualties & damage (12 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds46May 2026Aug 2, 1998 · $6.0 million damage
Flash flooding21Jan 2024Aug 14, 2016 · $2.5 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage12Jul 2025Jan 26, 1998 · $250,000 damage
Flooding6Aug 2016Aug 14, 2016 · $25 million damage
Excessive heat1Aug 2023—
Hurricanes & tropical storms1Sep 2024Sep 11, 2024 · $10 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms1Jan 2025—

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 Upper St. Mary forecast zone and St. Mary County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Charenton?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 81 miles northeast. 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 CharentonView
KHDC
Hammond, LA		81 mi northeast7,100 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLCH
Lake Charles, LA		102 mi west9,900 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLIX
New Orleans, LA		108 mi east-northeast10,700 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 Charenton

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 63 tornadoes within 25 miles of Charenton, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and April. The strongest was an F3 on March 17, 1970, which touched down about 18 miles southeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on December 15, 2022, which touched down about 18 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 57 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 2 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on April 7, 2003.

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 Charenton'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.

Charenton radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Charenton, LA?

KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 81 miles northeast. KLCH (Lake Charles, LA) is 102 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Charenton?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Charenton the lowest scan from KHDC is about 7,100 ft up — fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation.

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

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