Hickory, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Hickory What TALON shows

What weather hits Hickory?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 171 days in the Catawba forecast zone and Catawba County — the most common reported hazard around Hickory, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (33 days) and flash flooding (27 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	171	Jun 2026	Jun 13, 2013 · $250,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	33	Jan 2026	Feb 26, 2004 · $2,000 damage
Flash flooding	27	Sep 2024	Sep 27, 2024 · $50 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	19	Aug 2021	Aug 17, 2021 · $150,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	16	Jan 2019	Dec 4, 2002 · $9.0 million damage
High winds	11	Feb 2008	Apr 16, 2007 · $500,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	8	Feb 2026	—
Flooding	7	Nov 2020	May 6, 2013 · $2.0 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 Catawba forecast zone and Catawba County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Hickory?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGSP (Greer, SC), about 78 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 Hickory	View
KGSP Greer, SC	78 mi southwest	6,600 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFCX Blacksburg, VA	106 mi north-northeast	10,500 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMRX Knoxville, TN	120 mi west-northwest	12,800 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 Hickory

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 78 tornadoes within 25 miles of Hickory, 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 7 miles southwest of town and caused 4 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on January 9, 2024, which passed about 11 miles east-southeast of town.

Hail: 346 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 Hickory'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.

Hickory radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Hickory, NC?

KGSP (Greer, SC), about 78 miles southwest. KFCX (Blacksburg, VA) is 106 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Hickory?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Hickory the lowest scan from KGSP is about 6,600 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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