Palmetto, LA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Palmetto What TALON shows

What weather hits Palmetto?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 105 days in the St. Landry forecast zone and St. Landry County — the most common reported hazard around Palmetto, mostly in April and May. Next come flash flooding (37 days) and flooding (11 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	105	May 2026	Jun 9, 2015 · 1 death · $5,000 damage
Flash flooding	37	Jun 2026	Aug 12, 2016 · $30 million damage
Flooding	11	Jun 2026	Jan 10, 2013 · $42 million damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	8	Oct 2020	Sep 1, 2008 · $125 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	6	Jan 2025	—
Lightning casualties & damage	6	May 2013	Aug 1, 2001 · $75,000 damage
Excessive heat	3	Aug 2023	—
High winds	3	Oct 2009	Dec 16, 2000 · 2 deaths · $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 St. Landry forecast zone and St. Landry County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Palmetto?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 70 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Palmetto	View
KPOE Fort Polk, LA	70 mi west-northwest	5,700 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLCH Lake Charles, LA	88 mi west-southwest	7,900 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KHDC Hammond, LA	90 mi east	8,200 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Palmetto

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 120 tornadoes within 25 miles of Palmetto, 29 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and February. The strongest was an F3 on October 15, 1957, which passed about 13 miles south-southeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF2 on March 31, 2025, which touched down about 13 miles west of town.

Hail: 85 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 5 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on April 5, 2012.

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 Palmetto'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.

Palmetto radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Palmetto, LA?

KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 70 miles west-northwest. KLCH (Lake Charles, LA) is 88 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Palmetto?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Palmetto the lowest scan from KPOE is about 5,700 ft up.

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

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