Union, LA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Union What TALON shows

What weather hits Union?

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 Union, mostly in May and March. Next come excessive heat (24 days) and hurricanes & tropical storms (13 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	29	May 2026	Mar 26, 2009 · $25,000 damage
Excessive heat	24	Jul 2025	—
Hurricanes & tropical storms	13	Sep 2024	Aug 29, 2021 · 1 death · $250 million damage
Flash flooding	11	Sep 2024	Sep 11, 2024 · $18 million damage
Flooding	7	Aug 2016	Aug 15, 2016 · $291,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	4	Jan 2026	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	4	Jan 2025	—
Storm surge	4	Sep 2024	Aug 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 Union?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 41 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Union	View
KHDC Hammond, LA	41 mi northeast	2,800 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KLIX New Orleans, LA	66 mi east-northeast	5,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLCH Lake Charles, LA	139 mi west	16,100 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 Union

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 117 tornadoes within 25 miles of Union, 25 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and June. The strongest was an F4 on December 6, 1983, which passed about 22 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on October 26, 2025, which touched down about 19 miles northeast of town.

Hail: 104 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 Union'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.

Union radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Union, LA?

KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 41 miles northeast. KLIX (New Orleans, LA) is 66 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Union?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Union the lowest scan from KHDC is about 2,800 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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