Hessmer, LA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Hessmer What TALON shows

What weather hits Hessmer?

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 Hessmer, mostly in April and May. Next come flash flooding (24 days) and hurricanes & tropical storms (8 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	89	May 2026	Apr 22, 2005 · $800,000 damage
Flash flooding	24	Jun 2026	Jun 18, 2026 · $5.0 million damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	8	Oct 2020	Sep 1, 2008 · $45 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	6	Jan 2025	Feb 14, 2021 · 2 deaths
Ice storms & sleet	5	Feb 2021	Jan 12, 1997 · 1 death · $50,000 damage
Flooding	5	Mar 2016	Jan 10, 2013 · $19 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	4	Apr 2021	Aug 19, 2010 · $150,000 damage
Excessive heat	3	Aug 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 Hessmer?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 51 miles west. 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Hessmer	View
KPOE Fort Polk, LA	51 mi west	3,700 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLCH Lake Charles, LA	91 mi southwest	8,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KHDC Hammond, LA	108 mi east-southeast	10,900 ft	Limited — 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 Hessmer

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 103 tornadoes within 25 miles of Hessmer, 28 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and December. The strongest was an F3 on January 31, 1983, which passed about 5 miles south of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF2 on March 31, 2025, which touched down about 25 miles south of town.

Hail: 84 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 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 Hessmer'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.

Hessmer radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Hessmer, LA?

KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 51 miles west. KLCH (Lake Charles, LA) is 91 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Hessmer?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Hessmer the lowest scan from KPOE is about 3,700 ft up.

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

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