St. James, LA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for St. JamesWhat TALON shows

What weather hits St. James?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 29 days in the St. James forecast zone and St. James County — the most common reported hazard around St. James, mostly in May and March. Next come excessive heat (24 days) and hurricanes & tropical storms (13 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds29May 2026Mar 26, 2009 · $25,000 damage
Excessive heat24Jul 2025—
Hurricanes & tropical storms13Sep 2024Aug 29, 2021 · 1 death · $250 million damage
Flash flooding11Sep 2024Sep 11, 2024 · $18 million damage
Flooding7Aug 2016Aug 15, 2016 · $291,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill4Jan 2026—
Heavy snow & winter storms4Jan 2025—
Storm surge4Sep 2024Aug 28, 2012 · $8.5 million 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. James forecast zone and St. James County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover St. James?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 44 miles 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 St. JamesView
KHDC
Hammond, LA		44 mi northeast3,000 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLIX
New Orleans, LA		65 mi east-northeast5,100 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLCH
Lake Charles, LA		142 mi west16,600 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 St. James

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 109 tornadoes within 25 miles of St. James, 22 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and June. The strongest was an F4 on December 6, 1983, which passed about 20 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on October 26, 2025, which touched down about 21 miles northeast of town.

Hail: 93 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 7 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 St. James'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.

St. James radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to St. James, LA?

KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 44 miles northeast. KLIX (New Orleans, LA) is 65 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near St. James?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over St. James the lowest scan from KHDC is about 3,000 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

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