Swansboro, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

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What weather hits Swansboro?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 111 days in the Coastal Onslow forecast zone and Onslow County — the most common reported hazard around Swansboro, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (35 days) and flooding (13 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	111	May 2026	May 26, 2006 · $50,000 damage
Flash flooding	35	Aug 2025	Sep 30, 2010 · $7.0 million damage
Flooding	13	May 2018	Jun 28, 2006 · $50,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	6	Apr 2025	Apr 11, 2025 · 1 death
Excessive heat	5	Jul 2025	—
Heavy snow & winter storms	3	Feb 2026	—
Hurricanes & tropical storms	1	Aug 2020	—
Coastal flooding	1	Nov 2021	—

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

Which radars cover Swansboro?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMHX (Morehead City, NC), about 16 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Swansboro	View
KMHX Morehead City, NC	16 mi east-northeast	800 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KLTX Wilmington, NC	88 mi west-southwest	8,000 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KRAX Raleigh/Durham, NC	102 mi northwest	9,900 ft	Fair — 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 Swansboro

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 99 tornadoes within 25 miles of Swansboro, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and September. The strongest was an F3 on March 17, 1965, which passed about 22 miles north-northwest of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on September 16, 2024, which touched down about 5 miles east of town.

Hail: 122 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 8 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on July 28, 2014.

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 Swansboro'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.

Swansboro radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Swansboro, NC?

KMHX (Morehead City, NC), about 16 miles east-northeast. KLTX (Wilmington, NC) is 88 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Swansboro?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Swansboro the lowest scan from KMHX is about 800 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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