Carolina Forest, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Carolina ForestWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Carolina Forest?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 186 days in the Central Horry forecast zone and Horry County — the most common reported hazard around Carolina Forest, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (47 days) and lightning casualties & damage (45 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds186Jun 2026May 20, 2005 · $1.2 million damage
Flash flooding47Oct 2025Sep 15, 2018 · 2 deaths · $10,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage45Apr 2026Aug 16, 1998 · 1 death
Flooding18Aug 2025Oct 4, 2015 · $10 million damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms4Sep 2022Sep 14, 2018 · 2 deaths
Heavy snow & winter storms3Feb 2026—
Storm surge2Sep 2001—
Wildfires1Apr 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 Central Horry forecast zone and Horry County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Carolina Forest?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 32 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 Carolina ForestView
KLTX
Wilmington, NC		32 mi east-northeast2,000 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KCAE
Columbia, SC		127 mi west13,900 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		133 mi north15,000 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 Carolina Forest

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 65 tornadoes within 25 miles of Carolina Forest, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and August. The strongest was an F3 on August 17, 1965, which touched down about 15 miles east-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on September 27, 2024, which passed about 22 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 237 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 12 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 Carolina Forest'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.

Carolina Forest radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Carolina Forest, SC?

KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 32 miles east-northeast. KCAE (Columbia, SC) is 127 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Carolina Forest?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Carolina Forest the lowest scan from KLTX is about 2,000 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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