Kelly, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

What weather hits Kelly?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 135 days in the Bladen forecast zone and Bladen County — the most common reported hazard around Kelly, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (17 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (15 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds135Mar 2026Jul 31, 1998 · $200,000 damage
Flash flooding17Aug 2025Oct 8, 2016 · 2 deaths · $75,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms15Feb 2026—
Lightning casualties & damage13Jul 2023Jul 7, 2023 · $500,000 damage
High winds8Jan 2024Sep 5, 1996 · 1 death · $40 million damage
Flooding8Oct 2023Sep 8, 2008 · $10,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet5Feb 2015Jan 26, 2004 · $2.5 million damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms5Sep 2022Oct 8, 2016 · 2 deaths

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

Which radars cover Kelly?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 34 miles south-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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over KellyView
KLTX
Wilmington, NC
34 mi south-southwest2,100 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC
84 mi north7,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMHX
Morehead City, NC
84 mi east-northeast7,500 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Kelly

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 72 tornadoes within 25 miles of Kelly, 11 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and June. The strongest was an F3 on November 16, 2006, which touched down about 9 miles south-southeast of town and caused 8 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on March 16, 2025, which passed about 16 miles east of town.

Hail: 174 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 5 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on May 15, 2024.

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 Kelly'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.

Kelly radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Kelly, NC?

KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 34 miles south-southwest. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 84 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Kelly?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Kelly the lowest scan from KLTX is about 2,100 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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