Gatesville, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for GatesvilleWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Gatesville?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 50 days in the Gates forecast zone and Gates County — the most common reported hazard around Gatesville, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (25 days) and flash flooding (13 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds50Jun 2026May 1, 2012 · 1 death · $2,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms25Feb 2026Feb 19, 2025 · $1,000 damage
Flash flooding13Jun 2025Oct 8, 2016 · 1 death
Hurricanes & tropical storms9Jul 2021Aug 27, 2011 · $5.5 million damage
Excessive heat5Jul 2025—
High winds4Mar 2018Mar 2, 2018 · $15,000 damage
Flooding4Nov 2020Oct 8, 2016 · $500,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage2Aug 2008Aug 10, 2008 · $5,000 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 Gates forecast zone and Gates County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Gatesville?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 42 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 GatesvilleView
KAKQ
Wakefield, VA		42 mi north-northwest2,800 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		110 mi west-southwest11,100 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMHX
Morehead City, NC		113 mi south11,600 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 Gatesville

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 84 tornadoes within 25 miles of Gatesville, 18 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and March. The strongest was an EF3 on April 16, 2011, which passed about 8 miles south of town and caused 12 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on September 23, 2023, which touched down about 13 miles east-southeast of town.

Hail: 127 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on May 9, 2003.

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 Gatesville'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.

Gatesville radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Gatesville, NC?

KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 42 miles north-northwest. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 110 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Gatesville?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Gatesville the lowest scan from KAKQ is about 2,800 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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