Bethlehem, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Bethlehem What TALON shows

What weather hits Bethlehem?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 99 days in the Alexander forecast zone and Alexander County — the most common reported hazard around Bethlehem, mostly in July and August. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (36 days) and ice storms & sleet (19 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	99	May 2025	Apr 4, 2011 · $1.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	36	Jan 2026	—
Ice storms & sleet	19	Jan 2019	Dec 4, 2002 · $8.0 million damage
High winds	13	Feb 2016	Mar 20, 2001 · $1.0 million damage
Flash flooding	13	Sep 2024	Nov 12, 2020 · 5 deaths · $350,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	9	Feb 2026	—
Lightning casualties & damage	6	Jul 2025	Jul 18, 2015 · $500,000 damage
Flooding	3	Nov 2020	Nov 12, 2020 · 1 death · $100,000 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 Alexander forecast zone and Alexander County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Bethlehem?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGSP (Greer, SC), about 83 miles southwest. 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 Bethlehem	View
KGSP Greer, SC	83 mi southwest	7,200 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFCX Blacksburg, VA	101 mi northeast	9,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMRX Knoxville, TN	120 mi west-northwest	12,700 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 Bethlehem

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 69 tornadoes within 25 miles of Bethlehem, 16 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and October. The strongest was an F4 on May 5, 1989, which passed about 12 miles southwest of town and caused 4 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on April 11, 2024, which passed about 22 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 334 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 19 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on June 3, 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 Bethlehem'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.

Bethlehem radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Bethlehem, NC?

KGSP (Greer, SC), about 83 miles southwest. KFCX (Blacksburg, VA) is 101 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Bethlehem?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Bethlehem the lowest scan from KGSP is about 7,200 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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