Lake Norman of Catawba, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lake Norman of CatawbaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Lake Norman of Catawba?

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 Lake Norman of Catawba, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (33 days) and flash flooding (27 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds171Jun 2026Jun 13, 2013 · $250,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms33Jan 2026Feb 26, 2004 · $2,000 damage
Flash flooding27Sep 2024Sep 27, 2024 · $50 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage19Aug 2021Aug 17, 2021 · $150,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet16Jan 2019Dec 4, 2002 · $9.0 million damage
High winds11Feb 2008Apr 16, 2007 · $500,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill8Feb 2026—
Flooding7Nov 2020May 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 Lake Norman of Catawba?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KGSP (Greer, SC), about 85 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over Lake Norman of CatawbaView
KGSP
Greer, SC		85 mi southwest7,600 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFCX
Blacksburg, VA		106 mi north-northeast10,500 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KCAE
Columbia, SC		114 mi south11,800 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 Lake Norman of Catawba

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 81 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lake Norman of Catawba, 16 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and August. The strongest was an F4 on May 5, 1989, which passed about 25 miles west-northwest of town and caused 4 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 3, 2025, which touched down about 11 miles south of town.

Hail: 365 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 22 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 Lake Norman of Catawba'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.

Lake Norman of Catawba radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lake Norman of Catawba, NC?

KGSP (Greer, SC), about 85 miles southwest. KFCX (Blacksburg, VA) is 106 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lake Norman of Catawba?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lake Norman of Catawba the lowest scan from KGSP is about 7,600 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

Is TALON's radar for Lake Norman of Catawba 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 Lake Norman of Catawba, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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