Tabor City, NC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Tabor CityWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Tabor City?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 121 days in the Columbus forecast zone and Columbus County — the most common reported hazard around Tabor City, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (28 days) and lightning casualties & damage (16 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds121Jun 2026Jun 26, 2009 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding28Oct 2025Sep 15, 1999 · 1 death · $40 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage16Jul 2023Jul 24, 1999 · 2 deaths
Heavy snow & winter storms12Feb 2026Dec 26, 2010 · $5,000 damage
Flooding12Aug 2025Jun 25, 2013 · $10,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms9Sep 2022Oct 8, 2016 · 1 death · $91 million damage
High winds7Mar 2004Jul 12, 1996 · 1 death · $16 million damage
Excessive heat5Jun 2015Jul 20, 1999 · 1 death

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

Which radars cover Tabor City?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 28 miles east-southeast. 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 Tabor CityView
KLTX
Wilmington, NC		28 mi east-southeast1,700 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		107 mi north-northeast10,600 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMHX
Morehead City, NC		122 mi east-northeast13,000 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 Tabor City

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 73 tornadoes within 25 miles of Tabor City, 16 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and October. The strongest was an F3 on October 9, 1950, which touched down about 16 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF0 on August 6, 2024, which touched down about 20 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 230 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 19 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 10, 2011.

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 Tabor 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.

Tabor City radar FAQ

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

KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 28 miles east-southeast. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 107 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Tabor City?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Tabor City the lowest scan from KLTX is about 1,700 ft up.

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

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