Great Falls, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Great FallsWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Great Falls?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 133 days in the Chester forecast zone and Chester County — the most common reported hazard around Great Falls, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (17 days) and ice storms & sleet (7 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds133Jun 2026Apr 22, 2025 · $100,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms17Jan 2026Feb 26, 2004 · $120,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet7Jan 2022Dec 4, 2002 · $7.0 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill6Feb 2026Mar 16, 2017 · $50 million damage
Flooding6Sep 2004Mar 31, 2002 · $2,000 damage
Flash flooding6Feb 2020Feb 6, 2020 · $50,000 damage
High winds5Dec 2008Mar 7, 2004 · $20,000 damage
Excessive heat4Jul 2012—

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

Which radars cover Great Falls?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 45 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over Great FallsView
KCAE
Columbia, SC		45 mi south-southwest3,100 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KGSP
Greer, SC		78 mi west-northwest6,600 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCLX
Charleston, SC		133 mi south14,900 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 Great Falls

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 69 tornadoes within 25 miles of Great Falls, 13 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an F4 on March 28, 1984, which passed about 11 miles south of town and caused 5 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on December 29, 2024, which passed about 22 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 188 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 10 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 Great Falls'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.

Great Falls radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Great Falls, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 45 miles south-southwest. KGSP (Greer, SC) is 78 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Great Falls?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Great Falls the lowest scan from KCAE is about 3,100 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All South Carolina towns →