Red Cross, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Red CrossWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Red Cross?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 133 days in the Stanly forecast zone and Stanly County — the most common reported hazard around Red Cross, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (58 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (28 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds133Jun 2026Jun 13, 2013 · $2.5 million damage
Flash flooding58Aug 2025Jun 16, 2003 · 5 deaths
Heavy snow & winter storms28Jan 2026—
Hurricanes & tropical storms8Sep 2022Sep 30, 2022 · $750,000 damage
Flooding8Sep 2018Sep 17, 2018 · $24 million damage
Ice storms & sleet4Dec 1998—
Lightning casualties & damage4Aug 2010Jul 27, 2009 · $50,000 damage
High winds3Feb 2010Feb 10, 2010 · $1,000 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 Stanly forecast zone and Stanly County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Red Cross?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 101 miles south-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 Red CrossView
KCAE
Columbia, SC		101 mi south-southwest9,700 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KGSP
Greer, SC		108 mi west-southwest10,900 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		109 mi east-northeast11,000 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 Red Cross

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 65 tornadoes within 25 miles of Red Cross, 18 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and March. The strongest was an F4 on May 5, 1989, which passed about 16 miles southwest of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on March 5, 2025, which touched down about 15 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 226 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 23 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 Red Cross'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.

Red Cross radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Red Cross, NC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 101 miles south-southwest. KGSP (Greer, SC) is 108 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Red Cross?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Red Cross the lowest scan from KCAE is about 9,700 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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