Elgin, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Elgin What TALON shows

What weather hits Elgin?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 153 days in the Southern Lancaster forecast zone and Lancaster County — the most common reported hazard around Elgin, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (21 days) and lightning casualties & damage (6 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	153	Jun 2026	May 22, 2020 · 1 death
Flash flooding	21	May 2026	Sep 19, 2014 · $85,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	6	Aug 2018	Apr 8, 2005 · $125,000 damage
Flooding	4	May 2020	Jan 12, 2015 · 1 death · $8,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	3	Jan 2026	—
Hurricanes & tropical storms	2	Sep 2024	Sep 27, 2024 · $800,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	1	Jan 2022	—

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

Which radars cover Elgin?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 55 miles south-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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Elgin	View
KCAE Columbia, SC	55 mi south-southwest	4,000 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KGSP Greer, SC	86 mi west	7,700 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLTX Wilmington, NC	139 mi east-southeast	16,000 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 Elgin

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 54 tornadoes within 25 miles of Elgin, 14 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and March. The strongest was an F4 on March 28, 1984, which passed about 20 miles southwest of town and caused 5 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on May 23, 2022, which touched down about 16 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 185 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on September 8, 1998.

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 Elgin'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.

Elgin radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Elgin, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 55 miles south-southwest. KGSP (Greer, SC) is 86 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Elgin?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Elgin the lowest scan from KCAE is about 4,000 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

Radar for nearby towns

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