Lake City, SC Live Doppler Radar
Live radar for Lake City, Florence County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.
What weather hits Lake City?
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 Lake City, mostly in June and July. Next come lightning casualties & damage (16 days) and flash flooding (15 days).
| Hazard | Days reported | Most recent | Worst on record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damaging thunderstorm winds | 157 | Mar 2026 | Jul 16, 2016 · $255,000 damage |
| Lightning casualties & damage | 16 | Jul 2017 | Sep 14, 1997 · 1 death |
| Flash flooding | 15 | Aug 2024 | Oct 8, 2016 · 1 death · $500,000 damage |
| Flooding | 14 | Jul 2024 | Oct 4, 2015 · $10 million damage |
| Heavy snow & winter storms | 13 | Feb 2026 | — |
| High winds | 8 | Dec 2023 | Sep 5, 1996 · $330,000 damage |
| Ice storms & sleet | 4 | Jan 2026 | Jan 26, 2004 · $4.8 million damage |
| Hurricanes & tropical storms | 4 | Sep 2022 | Oct 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.
How much snow does Lake City get?
A normal year brings about 1.6 inches of snow to Lake City, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Cades 4 W weather station 7.2 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (0.8 in).
| Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.
Which radars cover Lake City?
The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 76 miles east. 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 Lake City | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| KLTX Wilmington, NC | 76 mi east | 6,400 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KCAE Columbia, SC | 78 mi west | 6,700 ft | Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation |
| KCLX Charleston, SC | 112 mi southwest | 11,400 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 Lake City
Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 59 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lake City, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and April. The strongest was an F2 on May 27, 1981, which passed about 13 miles northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on September 27, 2024, which passed about 24 miles east-northeast of town.
Hail: 155 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 12 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 Lake City'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.
Lake City radar FAQ
Where is the nearest weather radar to Lake City, SC?
KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 76 miles east. KCAE (Columbia, SC) is 78 miles away and also covers the area.
Does radar show snow in Lake City?
Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lake City the lowest scan from KLTX is about 6,400 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.
Is TALON's radar for Lake City 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 Lake City, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.
Radar for nearby towns
- Pamplico, SC radar 14 mi
- Kingstree, SC radar 15 mi
- Johnsonville, SC radar 18 mi
- Timmonsville, SC radar 21 mi
- Florence, SC radar 22 mi
- Manning, SC radar 29 mi
- Marion, SC radar 30 mi
- Darlington, SC radar 31 mi
- Andrews, SC radar 31 mi
- Aynor, SC radar 33 mi