Lakewood, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for LakewoodWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Lakewood?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 203 days in the Sumter forecast zone and Sumter County — the most common reported hazard around Lakewood, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (16 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (12 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds203Jun 2026Sep 15, 1999 · $738,000 damage
Flash flooding16Jun 2025Sep 25, 2011 · $22,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms12Feb 2026—
Hurricanes & tropical storms9Sep 2024Sep 27, 2024 · $950,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage7Aug 2023Aug 1, 2012 · $1.3 million damage
Ice storms & sleet5Jan 2026—
High winds4Jan 2022Oct 8, 2016 · $1.5 million damage
Excessive heat1Jun 2025Jun 21, 2025 · 1 death

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

Which radars cover Lakewood?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 45 miles west. 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 LakewoodView
KCAE
Columbia, SC		45 mi west3,100 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KCLX
Charleston, SC		91 mi south-southwest8,300 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLTX
Wilmington, NC		111 mi east11,200 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 Lakewood

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 85 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lakewood, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and April. The strongest was an EF3 on April 15, 2007, which passed about 4 miles northwest of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on May 30, 2025, which passed about 17 miles south-southwest of town.

Hail: 144 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 11 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on April 16, 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 Lakewood'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.

Lakewood radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lakewood, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 45 miles west. KCLX (Charleston, SC) is 91 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lakewood?

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

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

Radar for nearby towns

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