Lancaster, OH Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for LancasterWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Lancaster?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 148 days in the Fairfield forecast zone and Fairfield County — the most common reported hazard around Lancaster, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (50 days) and flooding (41 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds148Jun 2026Apr 20, 2011 · $60,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms50Jan 2026Jan 6, 1996 · $500,000 damage
Flooding41May 2026Jan 5, 2005 · $25,000 damage
Flash flooding26Jul 2025Jan 21, 1999 · 2 deaths
High winds13Mar 2026Sep 14, 2008 · 1 death · $17 million damage
Ice storms & sleet5Feb 2011—
Excessive heat5Jul 2019—
Extreme cold & wind chill3Dec 2022Feb 1, 1996 · $20,000 damage

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

Which radars cover Lancaster?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KILN (Wilmington, OH), about 68 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 LancasterView
KILN
Wilmington, OH		68 mi west-southwest5,500 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KRLX
Charleston, WV		109 mi south-southeast10,900 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KCLE
Cleveland, OH		123 mi north-northeast13,200 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 Lancaster

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 81 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lancaster, 14 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and June. The strongest was an F3 on May 10, 1973, which passed about 17 miles north-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on March 30, 2025, which touched down about 21 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 195 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 12 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on May 26, 2019.

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 Lancaster'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.

Lancaster radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lancaster, OH?

KILN (Wilmington, OH), about 68 miles west-southwest. KRLX (Charleston, WV) is 109 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lancaster?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lancaster the lowest scan from KILN is about 5,500 ft up.

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

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