Jefferson, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for JeffersonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Jefferson?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 144 days in the Chesterfield forecast zone and Chesterfield County — the most common reported hazard around Jefferson, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (26 days) and flash flooding (21 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds144Jul 2025Aug 23, 2007 · $1.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms26Feb 2026Jan 30, 2010 · $15,000 damage
Flash flooding21Aug 2024Sep 19, 2014 · $44,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet9Jan 2026—
Hurricanes & tropical storms7Sep 2024Sep 27, 2024 · 1 death · $550,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage2Jun 2011Jun 21, 2011 · 1 death
Flooding1Jul 2005—
Excessive heat1Feb 2015—

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

Which radars cover Jefferson?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 64 miles 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 JeffersonView
KCAE
Columbia, SC		64 mi southwest5,000 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KGSP
Greer, SC		105 mi west10,400 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLTX
Wilmington, NC		121 mi east-southeast12,800 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 Jefferson

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 56 tornadoes within 25 miles of Jefferson, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an F4 on April 8, 1957, which crossed near town and caused 4 deaths. The most recent was an EF2 on May 5, 2020, which passed about 25 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 154 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on May 5, 2020.

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 Jefferson'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.

Jefferson radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Jefferson, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 64 miles southwest. KGSP (Greer, SC) is 105 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Jefferson?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Jefferson the lowest scan from KCAE is about 5,000 ft up.

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

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