Gold Hill, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Gold HillWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Gold Hill?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 215 days in the Rowan forecast zone and Rowan County — the most common reported hazard around Gold Hill, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (29 days) and flash flooding (27 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds215Mar 2026Jul 21, 2008 · $500,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms29Jan 2026Feb 26, 2004 · $5,000 damage
Flash flooding27Aug 2024Aug 16, 2003 · $100,000 damage
High winds13Jan 2022Mar 3, 1999 · $100,000 damage
Flooding13Jun 2025Apr 10, 2003 · $200,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage13Jul 2012Jul 10, 2012 · $100,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet12Dec 2005Dec 15, 2005 · 1 death · $25,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill11Feb 2026Jan 4, 2002 · 1 death

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 Rowan forecast zone and Rowan County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Gold Hill?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFCX (Blacksburg, VA), about 104 miles north. 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 Gold HillView
KFCX
Blacksburg, VA		104 mi north10,200 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		105 mi east10,300 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KGSP
Greer, SC		115 mi west-southwest11,800 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 Gold Hill

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 58 tornadoes within 25 miles of Gold Hill, 13 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an EF2 on November 16, 2011, which passed about 17 miles north-northeast of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on April 11, 2024, which touched down about 23 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 218 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 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 Gold Hill'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.

Gold Hill radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Gold Hill, NC?

KFCX (Blacksburg, VA), about 104 miles north. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 105 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Gold Hill?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Gold Hill the lowest scan from KFCX is about 10,200 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All North Carolina towns →