North Topsail Beach, NC Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for North Topsail Beach, Onslow County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for North Topsail BeachWhat TALON shows

What weather hits North Topsail Beach?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 111 days in the Coastal Onslow forecast zone and Onslow County — the most common reported hazard around North Topsail Beach, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (35 days) and flooding (13 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds111May 2026May 26, 2006 · $50,000 damage
Flash flooding35Aug 2025Sep 30, 2010 · $7.0 million damage
Flooding13May 2018Jun 28, 2006 · $50,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage6Apr 2025Apr 11, 2025 · 1 death
Excessive heat5Jul 2025—
Heavy snow & winter storms3Feb 2026—
Hurricanes & tropical storms1Aug 2020—
Coastal flooding1Nov 2021—

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

Which radars cover North Topsail Beach?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMHX (Morehead City, NC), about 38 miles east-northeast. 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 North Topsail BeachView
KMHX
Morehead City, NC		38 mi east-northeast2,400 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KLTX
Wilmington, NC		66 mi west-southwest5,300 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		101 mi northwest9,700 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 North Topsail Beach

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 65 tornadoes within 25 miles of North Topsail Beach, 7 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and August. The strongest was an EF3 on April 16, 2011, which passed about 17 miles north-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on August 7, 2024, which touched down about 19 miles northwest of town.

Hail: 80 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 2 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.50-inch hail on June 21, 1992.

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 North Topsail Beach'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.

North Topsail Beach radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to North Topsail Beach, NC?

KMHX (Morehead City, NC), about 38 miles east-northeast. KLTX (Wilmington, NC) is 66 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near North Topsail Beach?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over North Topsail Beach the lowest scan from KMHX is about 2,400 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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