Columbia, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for ColumbiaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Columbia?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 27 days in the Tyrrell forecast zone and Tyrrell County — the most common reported hazard around Columbia, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (25 days) and hurricanes & tropical storms (22 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds27Jul 2025Mar 8, 2005 · $25,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms25Feb 2026—
Hurricanes & tropical storms22Aug 2020Aug 26, 2011 · $25 million damage
Excessive heat5Jul 2025—
High winds3May 2007—
Flash flooding2Oct 2016—
Extreme cold & wind chill1Mar 1998—
Storm surge1Aug 2011Aug 26, 2011 · $20 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 Tyrrell forecast zone and Tyrrell County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Columbia?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 85 miles north-northwest. 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 ColumbiaView
KAKQ
Wakefield, VA		85 mi north-northwest7,500 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMHX
Morehead City, NC		87 mi south-southwest7,800 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		127 mi west14,000 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 Columbia

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 47 tornadoes within 25 miles of Columbia, 9 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and April. The strongest was an EF2 on April 25, 2014, which passed about 17 miles northwest of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on March 17, 2025, which passed about 21 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 43 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 4 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on June 13, 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 Columbia'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.

Columbia radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Columbia, NC?

KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 85 miles north-northwest. KMHX (Morehead City, NC) is 87 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Columbia?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Columbia the lowest scan from KAKQ is about 7,500 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All North Carolina towns →