Fort Polk South, LA Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Fort Polk South, Vernon County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for Fort Polk SouthWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Fort Polk South?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 98 days in the Vernon forecast zone and Vernon County — the most common reported hazard around Fort Polk South, mostly in June and April. Next come flash flooding (27 days) and flooding (8 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds98Feb 2026Mar 10, 2000 · $2.0 million damage
Flash flooding27May 2026Mar 20, 2012 · $1.5 million damage
Flooding8Mar 2016Mar 10, 2016 · $50 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms7Jan 2025Jan 1, 2001 · $5,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms6Oct 2020Aug 26, 2020 · 1 death · $900 million damage
Excessive heat4Sep 2023—
Ice storms & sleet3Feb 2021Feb 1, 1996 · $200,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage3May 2025May 6, 2025 · $50,000 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 Vernon forecast zone and Vernon County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Fort Polk South?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 16 miles east-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 Fort Polk SouthView
KPOE
Fort Polk, LA		16 mi east-northeast900 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KLCH
Lake Charles, LA		64 mi south5,000 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KSHV
Shreveport, LA		103 mi north-northwest10,100 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 Fort Polk South

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 96 tornadoes within 25 miles of Fort Polk South, 18 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in November and December. The strongest was an F4 on December 3, 1953, which passed about 10 miles east of town and caused 9 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on March 4, 2025, which touched down about 16 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 94 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 6 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.50-inch hail on December 23, 2014.

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 Fort Polk South'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.

Fort Polk South radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Fort Polk South, LA?

KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 16 miles east-northeast. KLCH (Lake Charles, LA) is 64 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Fort Polk South?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Fort Polk South the lowest scan from KPOE is about 900 ft up.

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

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