Albemarle, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Albemarle What TALON shows

What weather hits Albemarle?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 133 days in the Stanly forecast zone and Stanly County — the most common reported hazard around Albemarle, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (58 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (28 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	133	Jun 2026	Jun 13, 2013 · $2.5 million damage
Flash flooding	58	Aug 2025	Jun 16, 2003 · 5 deaths
Heavy snow & winter storms	28	Jan 2026	—
Hurricanes & tropical storms	8	Sep 2022	Sep 30, 2022 · $750,000 damage
Flooding	8	Sep 2018	Sep 17, 2018 · $24 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	4	Dec 1998	—
Lightning casualties & damage	4	Aug 2010	Jul 27, 2009 · $50,000 damage
High winds	3	Feb 2010	Feb 10, 2010 · $1,000 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 Stanly forecast zone and Stanly County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Albemarle?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC), about 98 miles east-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 Albemarle	View
KRAX Raleigh/Durham, NC	98 mi east-northeast	9,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCAE Columbia, SC	111 mi south-southwest	11,200 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KFCX Blacksburg, VA	115 mi north	11,900 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 Albemarle

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 52 tornadoes within 25 miles of Albemarle, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and February. The strongest was an F2 on May 15, 1976, which passed about 14 miles east-southeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on August 7, 2023, which passed about 23 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 155 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 17 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 27, 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 Albemarle'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.

Albemarle radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Albemarle, NC?

KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC), about 98 miles east-northeast. KCAE (Columbia, SC) is 111 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Albemarle?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Albemarle the lowest scan from KRAX is about 9,300 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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