Welcome, LA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for WelcomeWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Welcome?

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 Welcome, 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 Welcome?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 43 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 WelcomeView
KHDC
Hammond, LA		43 mi northeast2,900 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KLIX
New Orleans, LA		66 mi east-northeast5,300 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLCH
Lake Charles, LA		140 mi west16,200 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 Welcome

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 110 tornadoes within 25 miles of Welcome, 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 22 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on October 26, 2025, which touched down about 21 miles northeast of town.

Hail: 91 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 Welcome'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.

Welcome radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Welcome, LA?

KHDC (Hammond, LA), about 43 miles northeast. KLIX (New Orleans, LA) is 66 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Welcome?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Welcome the lowest scan from KHDC is about 2,900 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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