Kinston, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Kinston What TALON shows

What weather hits Kinston?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 96 days in the Lenoir forecast zone and Lenoir County — the most common reported hazard around Kinston, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (28 days) and flash flooding (26 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	96	Mar 2026	May 23, 1998 · $150,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	28	Feb 2026	Feb 2, 1996 · 1 death · $40,000 damage
Flash flooding	26	Aug 2025	Aug 14, 2004 · $100,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	20	Aug 2020	Sep 14, 1999 · 1 death · $310 million damage
Flooding	9	Jun 2017	Oct 11, 2016 · 1 death
High winds	3	Jun 2006	Mar 7, 2004 · $5,000 damage
Excessive heat	3	Jun 2025	—
Extreme cold & wind chill	1	Mar 1998	—

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

Which radars cover Kinston?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMHX (Morehead City, NC), about 53 miles southeast. 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 Kinston	View
KMHX Morehead City, NC	53 mi southeast	3,900 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KRAX Raleigh/Durham, NC	57 mi west-northwest	4,300 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLTX Wilmington, NC	101 mi south-southwest	9,700 ft	Fair — 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 Kinston

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 122 tornadoes within 25 miles of Kinston, 19 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an F4 on March 28, 1984, which passed about 9 miles northwest of town and caused 16 deaths. The most recent was an EF2 on August 8, 2024, which passed about 13 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 206 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-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 Kinston'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.

Kinston radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Kinston, NC?

KMHX (Morehead City, NC), about 53 miles southeast. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 57 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Kinston?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Kinston the lowest scan from KMHX is about 3,900 ft up.

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

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