Rolesville, NC Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Rolesville, Wake County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Rolesville?
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 300 days in the Wake forecast zone and Wake County — the most common reported hazard around Rolesville, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (142 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (36 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 300 | Jun 2026 | May 4, 2019 · 1 death · $10,000 damage |
| Flash flooding | 142 | Aug 2025 | Nov 12, 2020 · 1 death |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 36 | Jan 2026 | Feb 25, 2015 · $1.0 million damage |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 35 | Jul 2023 | Jul 28, 2018 · 1 death |
| Hurricanes & tropical storms | 13 | Sep 2022 | Sep 5, 1996 · 3 deaths |
| Flooding | 9 | Dec 2023 | Sep 17, 2018 · $25 million damage |
| High winds | 7 | Feb 2010 | Apr 1, 1997 · 1 death |
| Excessive heat | 7 | Jul 2025 | — |
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 Wake forecast zone and Wake County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
How much snow does Rolesville get?
A normal year brings about 3.3 inches of snow to Rolesville, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Zebulon 3 Sw weather station 10.9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (1.1 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.
Which radars cover Rolesville?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC), about 17 miles south. 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 Rolesville | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KRAX Raleigh/Durham, NC | 17 mi south | 1,000 ft | Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground |
| KAKQ Wakefield, VA | 110 mi northeast | 11,000 ft | Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms |
| KMHX Morehead City, NC | 119 mi southeast | 12,600 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 Rolesville
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 63 tornadoes within 25 miles of Rolesville, 14 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and March. The strongest was an F4 on November 27, 1988, which passed about 5 miles north-northwest of town and caused 4 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on August 8, 2024, which touched down about 19 miles northeast of town.
Hail: 306 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 24 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on March 28, 2005.
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 Rolesville'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.
Rolesville radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Rolesville, NC?
KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC), about 17 miles south. KAKQ (Wakefield, VA) is 110 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Rolesville?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Rolesville the lowest scan from KRAX is about 1,000 ft up.
Is TALON's radar for Rolesville 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 Rolesville, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Wake Forest, NC radar 4 mi
- Youngsville, NC radar 8 mi
- Knightdale, NC radar 9 mi
- Zebulon, NC radar 10 mi
- Wendell, NC radar 11 mi
- Raleigh, NC radar 12 mi
- Franklinton, NC radar 13 mi
- Louisburg, NC radar 16 mi
- Archer Lodge, NC radar 17 mi
- Garner, NC radar 18 mi