Florence, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for FlorenceWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Florence?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 157 days in the Florence forecast zone and Florence County — the most common reported hazard around Florence, mostly in June and July. Next come lightning casualties & damage (16 days) and flash flooding (15 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds157Mar 2026Jul 16, 2016 · $255,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage16Jul 2017Sep 14, 1997 · 1 death
Flash flooding15Aug 2024Oct 8, 2016 · 1 death · $500,000 damage
Flooding14Jul 2024Oct 4, 2015 · $10 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms13Feb 2026—
High winds8Dec 2023Sep 5, 1996 · $330,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet4Jan 2026Jan 26, 2004 · $4.8 million damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms4Sep 2022Oct 8, 2016 · 2 deaths

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

Which radars cover Florence?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 78 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 FlorenceView
KCAE
Columbia, SC		78 mi west-southwest6,600 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLTX
Wilmington, NC		79 mi east6,800 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		126 mi northeast13,800 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 Florence

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 89 tornadoes within 25 miles of Florence, 22 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and May. The strongest was an F3 on May 20, 1980, which passed about 19 miles northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on May 14, 2024, which touched down about 19 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 202 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 15 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 Florence'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.

Florence radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Florence, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 78 miles west-southwest. KLTX (Wilmington, NC) is 79 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Florence?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Florence the lowest scan from KCAE is about 6,600 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All South Carolina towns →