McDonald, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for McDonald What TALON shows

What weather hits McDonald?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 153 days in the Robeson forecast zone and Robeson County — the most common reported hazard around McDonald, mostly in June and May. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (18 days) and flash flooding (16 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	153	Jun 2026	May 11, 2009 · $813,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	18	Feb 2026	Dec 3, 2000 · $20,000 damage
Flash flooding	16	Aug 2024	Sep 15, 2018 · 1 death · $20,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	8	Jun 2014	Aug 28, 2001 · $300,000 damage
Flooding	8	Aug 2024	Aug 10, 2024 · 1 death
High winds	7	Dec 2011	Sep 5, 1996 · $57 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	6	Jan 2026	Jan 26, 2004 · $3.0 million damage
Excessive heat	5	Jun 2015	Jul 28, 1997 · 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 Robeson forecast zone and Robeson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover McDonald?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 58 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 McDonald	View
KLTX Wilmington, NC	58 mi southeast	4,300 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KRAX Raleigh/Durham, NC	86 mi north-northeast	7,700 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCAE Columbia, SC	119 mi west-southwest	12,500 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 McDonald

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 93 tornadoes within 25 miles of McDonald, 21 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and March. The strongest was an F4 on March 28, 1984, which passed about 17 miles west-northwest of town and caused 7 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 14, 2024, which touched down about 10 miles north-northwest of town.

Hail: 186 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 12 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on April 20, 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 McDonald'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.

McDonald radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to McDonald, NC?

KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 58 miles southeast. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 86 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in McDonald?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over McDonald the lowest scan from KLTX is about 4,300 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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