Lake Charles, LA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lake CharlesWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Lake Charles?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 185 days in the Southern Calcasieu forecast zone and Calcasieu County — the most common reported hazard around Lake Charles, mostly in May and June. Next come flash flooding (98 days) and flooding (17 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds185May 2026Jul 20, 2012 · 2 deaths
Flash flooding98Jun 2026May 17, 2021 · 1 death · $500 million damage
Flooding17Mar 2016Mar 10, 2016 · $50 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage14Jul 2024Dec 29, 1996 · 1 death · $50,000 damage
Excessive heat1Aug 2023—
Storm surge1Jun 2024—
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 Southern Calcasieu forecast zone and Calcasieu County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Lake Charles?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLCH (Lake Charles, LA), about 5 miles south. 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 Lake CharlesView
KLCH
Lake Charles, LA		5 mi south200 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KPOE
Fort Polk, LA		68 mi north-northeast5,400 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KHGX
Houston, TX		123 mi west-southwest13,200 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 Lake Charles

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 145 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lake Charles, 20 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and October. The strongest was an F3 on April 4, 1952, which passed about 20 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on October 25, 2025, which touched down about 6 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 158 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 10 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on March 27, 2009.

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 Lake Charles'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.

Lake Charles radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lake Charles, LA?

KLCH (Lake Charles, LA), about 5 miles south. KPOE (Fort Polk, LA) is 68 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Lake Charles?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Lake Charles the lowest scan from KLCH is about 200 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Louisiana towns →