Chester, MD Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Chester, Queen Anne's County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for ChesterWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Chester?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 141 days in the Queen Anne's forecast zone and Queen Anne's County — the most common reported hazard around Chester, mostly in June and July. Next come excessive heat (82 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (54 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds141Jun 2026Apr 2, 2016 · $600,000 damage
Excessive heat82Jul 2025—
Heavy snow & winter storms54Feb 2026Mar 1, 2009 · 1 death
Extreme cold & wind chill26Dec 2022Feb 16, 2015 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding26Sep 2021Sep 16, 1999 · $4.0 million damage
High winds23Feb 2019Sep 16, 1999 · $500,000 damage
Coastal flooding10Oct 2025Oct 29, 2012 · $150,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage10Jul 2025Jul 9, 2003 · $60,000 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 Queen Anne's forecast zone and Queen Anne's County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Chester?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KDOX (Dover AFB, DE), about 47 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 ChesterView
KDOX
Dover AFB, DE		47 mi east3,200 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLWX
Sterling, MD		64 mi west5,000 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDIX
Philadelphia, NJ		121 mi northeast12,900 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 Chester

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 55 tornadoes within 25 miles of Chester, 7 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and May. The strongest was an F3 on June 9, 1961, which touched down about 24 miles northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 31, 2025, which touched down about 10 miles west of town.

Hail: 99 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 4 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.00-inch hail on June 2, 1998.

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 Chester'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.

Chester radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Chester, MD?

KDOX (Dover AFB, DE), about 47 miles east. KLWX (Sterling, MD) is 64 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Chester?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Chester the lowest scan from KDOX is about 3,200 ft up.

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

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