Frederick, MD Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for FrederickWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Frederick?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 246 days in the Frederick forecast zone and Frederick County — the most common reported hazard around Frederick, mostly in July and June. Next come flooding (93 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (82 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds246Jun 2026Jun 14, 2026 · $1.0 million damage
Flooding93May 2025Jan 19, 1996 · $15 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms82Feb 2026Dec 5, 2003 · 1 death
Flash flooding59Jul 2025Jun 27, 2006 · 5 deaths · $500,000 damage
Excessive heat45Jun 2025Jul 21, 2019 · 1 death
High winds34Feb 2026Dec 23, 2022 · 1 death
Lightning casualties & damage20Aug 2021Aug 11, 2021 · 1 death · $300,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill19Feb 2026—

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

Which radars cover Frederick?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLWX (Sterling, MD), about 32 miles south. 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 FrederickView
KLWX
Sterling, MD		32 mi south2,000 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KCCX
State College, PA		108 mi north-northwest10,700 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KDOX
Dover AFB, DE		114 mi east-southeast11,700 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 Frederick

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 106 tornadoes within 25 miles of Frederick, 14 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and July. The strongest was an F3 on July 19, 1996, which touched down about 24 miles east-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on June 5, 2024, which touched down about 22 miles west of town.

Hail: 237 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 14 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on September 3, 1993.

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 Frederick'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.

Frederick radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Frederick, MD?

KLWX (Sterling, MD), about 32 miles south. KCCX (State College, PA) is 108 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Frederick?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Frederick the lowest scan from KLWX is about 2,000 ft up.

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

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