Surf City, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Surf CityWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Surf City?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 79 days in the Coastal Pender forecast zone and Pender County — the most common reported hazard around Surf City, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (38 days) and flooding (15 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds79Mar 2026Mar 15, 2008 · $2.0 million damage
Flash flooding38Aug 2024Sep 15, 2018 · 1 death · $5.0 million damage
Flooding15Jul 2023Aug 9, 2014 · $20,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage14Jun 2025Jun 29, 2025 · 1 death
Hurricanes & tropical storms7Sep 2022Aug 26, 2011 · $1.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms7Feb 2026—
Excessive heat3Jun 2015—
High winds2Jan 2024—

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

Which radars cover Surf City?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMHX (Morehead City, NC), about 44 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 Surf CityView
KMHX
Morehead City, NC		44 mi east-northeast3,000 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLTX
Wilmington, NC		60 mi west-southwest4,500 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		101 mi north-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 Surf City

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 74 tornadoes within 25 miles of Surf City, 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 22 miles north-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on July 6, 2025, which touched down about 23 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 104 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 4 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.50-inch hail on June 16, 1971.

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 Surf City'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.

Surf City radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Surf City, NC?

KMHX (Morehead City, NC), about 44 miles east-northeast. KLTX (Wilmington, NC) is 60 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Surf City?

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

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

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