Cope, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Cope What TALON shows

What weather hits Cope?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 256 days in the Central Orangeburg forecast zone and Orangeburg County — the most common reported hazard around Cope, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (24 days) and lightning casualties & damage (7 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	256	Jun 2026	May 29, 2012 · 1 death · $4,000 damage
Flash flooding	24	May 2026	Oct 3, 2015 · $30 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	7	Jul 2008	Jul 5, 2008 · 1 death
Flooding	7	May 2025	Nov 7, 2024 · 2 deaths
Hurricanes & tropical storms	3	Sep 2024	Sep 27, 2024 · $6.9 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	3	Feb 2026	—
High winds	2	Jan 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 Central Orangeburg forecast zone and Orangeburg County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Cope?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 40 miles north. 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 Cope	View
KCAE Columbia, SC	40 mi north	2,600 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KCLX Charleston, SC	50 mi south	3,600 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KGSP Greer, SC	125 mi north-northwest	13,600 ft	Limited — 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 Cope

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 124 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cope, 26 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and September. The strongest was an EF3 on April 13, 2020, which passed about 10 miles northwest of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on September 27, 2024, which passed about 14 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 163 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 6 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on May 20, 2008.

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 Cope'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.

Cope radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cope, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 40 miles north. KCLX (Charleston, SC) is 50 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Cope?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Cope the lowest scan from KCAE is about 2,600 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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