Watson, LA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for WatsonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Watson?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 121 days in the Northern Livingston forecast zone and Livingston County — the most common reported hazard around Watson, mostly in June and April. Next come excessive heat (26 days) and flash flooding (19 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds121Jun 2026May 14, 2008 · $100,000 damage
Excessive heat26Jul 2025—
Flash flooding19Jun 2026Aug 12, 2016 · $576 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage4Jul 2022Jul 22, 2022 · $500,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill2Jan 2026—
Hurricanes & tropical storms1Sep 2024—
Heavy snow & winter storms1Jan 2025—
Storm surge1Sep 1998—

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 Northern Livingston forecast zone and Livingston County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Watson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 33 miles east. 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 WatsonView
KHDC
Hammond, LA		33 mi east2,000 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KLIX
New Orleans, LA		69 mi east-southeast5,600 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KPOE
Fort Polk, LA		127 mi west-northwest13,900 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 Watson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 129 tornadoes within 25 miles of Watson, 22 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and April. The strongest was an F3 on February 6, 1953, which passed about 16 miles east-southeast of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on March 31, 2025, which passed about 17 miles east-southeast of town.

Hail: 217 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.75-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 Watson'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.

Watson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Watson, LA?

KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 33 miles east. KLIX (New Orleans, LA) is 69 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Watson?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Watson the lowest scan from KHDC is about 2,000 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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