Rocky Mount, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Rocky MountWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Rocky Mount?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 131 days in the Nash forecast zone and Nash County — the most common reported hazard around Rocky Mount, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (37 days) and flash flooding (28 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds131Jun 2026Jul 2, 1996 · $60,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms37Jan 2026Feb 25, 2015 · $500,000 damage
Flash flooding28Aug 2025Sep 15, 1999 · 4 deaths
Hurricanes & tropical storms12Sep 2022Aug 4, 2020 · $1.0 million damage
High winds6Aug 2011Aug 27, 2011 · 1 death · $350,000 damage
Excessive heat6Jul 2025—
Lightning casualties & damage6Jun 2022Aug 17, 2003 · $710,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet4Dec 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 Nash forecast zone and Nash County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Rocky Mount?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC), about 44 miles west-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 Rocky MountView
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		44 mi west-southwest3,000 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KAKQ
Wakefield, VA		83 mi north-northeast7,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMHX
Morehead City, NC		98 mi south-southeast9,300 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 Rocky Mount

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 56 tornadoes within 25 miles of Rocky Mount, 19 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an F4 on November 27, 1988, which passed about 19 miles north-northwest of town and caused 4 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on May 13, 2025, which touched down about 20 miles south-southeast of town.

Hail: 174 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 7 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on July 1, 2012.

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 Rocky Mount'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.

Rocky Mount radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Rocky Mount, NC?

KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC), about 44 miles west-southwest. KAKQ (Wakefield, VA) is 83 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Rocky Mount?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Rocky Mount the lowest scan from KRAX is about 3,000 ft up.

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

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