Cottonport, LA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for CottonportWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Cottonport?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 89 days in the Avoyelles forecast zone and Avoyelles County — the most common reported hazard around Cottonport, mostly in April and May. Next come flash flooding (24 days) and hurricanes & tropical storms (8 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds89May 2026Apr 22, 2005 · $800,000 damage
Flash flooding24Jun 2026Jun 18, 2026 · $5.0 million damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms8Oct 2020Sep 1, 2008 · $45 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms6Jan 2025Feb 14, 2021 · 2 deaths
Ice storms & sleet5Feb 2021Jan 12, 1997 · 1 death · $50,000 damage
Flooding5Mar 2016Jan 10, 2013 · $19 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage4Apr 2021Aug 19, 2010 · $150,000 damage
Excessive heat3Aug 2023—

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

Which radars cover Cottonport?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 56 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 CottonportView
KPOE
Fort Polk, LA		56 mi west-northwest4,100 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLCH
Lake Charles, LA		92 mi southwest8,400 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KHDC
Hammond, LA		103 mi east-southeast10,000 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 Cottonport

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 104 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cottonport, 27 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and November. The strongest was an EF3 on April 10, 2021, which passed about 20 miles southeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF2 on March 31, 2025, which touched down about 21 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 76 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on June 20, 2023.

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 Cottonport'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.

Cottonport radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cottonport, LA?

KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 56 miles west-northwest. KLCH (Lake Charles, LA) is 92 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Cottonport?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cottonport the lowest scan from KPOE is about 4,100 ft up.

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

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