Princeton, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Princeton What TALON shows

What weather hits Princeton?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 218 days in the Johnston forecast zone and Johnston County — the most common reported hazard around Princeton, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (41 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (32 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	218	Jun 2026	Aug 15, 2019 · $25 million damage
Flash flooding	41	Jun 2025	Sep 15, 1999 · 3 deaths
Heavy snow & winter storms	32	Jan 2026	Jan 22, 2016 · 1 death
Lightning casualties & damage	14	Mar 2023	Jul 21, 2008 · $180,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	12	Sep 2022	Sep 30, 2022 · 3 deaths · $1.0 million damage
Flooding	7	Sep 2018	Oct 9, 2016 · 4 deaths · $45 million damage
Excessive heat	7	Jul 2025	Jul 23, 1999 · 1 death
Ice storms & sleet	4	Dec 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 Johnston forecast zone and Johnston County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Princeton?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC), about 23 miles northwest. 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 Princeton	View
KRAX Raleigh/Durham, NC	23 mi northwest	1,300 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMHX Morehead City, NC	87 mi east-southeast	7,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLTX Wilmington, NC	103 mi south	10,100 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 Princeton

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 96 tornadoes within 25 miles of Princeton, 22 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in March and April. The strongest was an F4 on March 28, 1984, which passed about 23 miles east-southeast of town and caused 16 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 4, 2025, which touched down about 17 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 232 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 10 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on June 24, 1986.

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 Princeton'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.

Princeton radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Princeton, NC?

KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC), about 23 miles northwest. KMHX (Morehead City, NC) is 87 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Princeton?

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

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

Radar for nearby towns

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