Lake Waccamaw, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lake WaccamawWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Lake Waccamaw?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 121 days in the Columbus forecast zone and Columbus County — the most common reported hazard around Lake Waccamaw, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (28 days) and lightning casualties & damage (16 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds121Jun 2026Jun 26, 2009 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding28Oct 2025Sep 15, 1999 · 1 death · $40 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage16Jul 2023Jul 24, 1999 · 2 deaths
Heavy snow & winter storms12Feb 2026Dec 26, 2010 · $5,000 damage
Flooding12Aug 2025Jun 25, 2013 · $10,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms9Sep 2022Oct 8, 2016 · 1 death · $91 million damage
High winds7Mar 2004Jul 12, 1996 · 1 death · $16 million damage
Excessive heat5Jun 2015Jul 20, 1999 · 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 Columbus forecast zone and Columbus County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Lake Waccamaw?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 23 miles south-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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over Lake WaccamawView
KLTX
Wilmington, NC		23 mi south-southeast1,300 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		93 mi north8,600 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMHX
Morehead City, NC		98 mi east-northeast9,400 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 Lake Waccamaw

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 63 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lake Waccamaw, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and September. The strongest was an F3 on November 16, 2006, which touched down about 16 miles east of town and caused 8 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on August 6, 2024, which touched down about 24 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 166 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 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 Lake Waccamaw'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 Waccamaw radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lake Waccamaw, NC?

KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 23 miles south-southeast. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 93 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lake Waccamaw?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lake Waccamaw the lowest scan from KLTX is about 1,300 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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