Cornelius, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Cornelius What TALON shows

What weather hits Cornelius?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 266 days in the Mecklenburg forecast zone and Mecklenburg County — the most common reported hazard around Cornelius, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (88 days) and lightning casualties & damage (42 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	266	Mar 2026	May 22, 2020 · 1 death · $500,000 damage
Flash flooding	88	Aug 2025	Jul 23, 1997 · 3 deaths · $8.5 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	42	Jun 2017	Jul 29, 2003 · 3 deaths · $30,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	26	Jan 2026	Feb 26, 2004 · $2.5 million damage
Flooding	26	Jun 2025	Mar 20, 2003 · $2.0 million damage
High winds	13	Feb 2016	Mar 7, 2004 · 1 death · $75,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	9	Feb 2026	Jan 20, 2008 · 1 death
Ice storms & sleet	9	Dec 2005	Dec 4, 2002 · $40 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 Mecklenburg forecast zone and Mecklenburg County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Cornelius?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGSP (Greer, SC), about 86 miles west-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 Cornelius	View
KGSP Greer, SC	86 mi west-southwest	7,600 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCAE Columbia, SC	106 mi south	10,500 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KFCX Blacksburg, VA	112 mi north-northeast	11,500 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 Cornelius

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 96 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cornelius, 13 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and March. The strongest was an F3 on March 27, 1994, which passed about 18 miles south-southeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on May 3, 2025, which touched down about 6 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 412 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 33 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 7, 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 Cornelius'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.

Cornelius radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cornelius, NC?

KGSP (Greer, SC), about 86 miles west-southwest. KCAE (Columbia, SC) is 106 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Cornelius?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cornelius the lowest scan from KGSP is about 7,600 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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