Lamar, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lamar What TALON shows

What weather hits Lamar?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 138 days in the Darlington forecast zone and Darlington County — the most common reported hazard around Lamar, mostly in July and June. Next come flooding (12 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (11 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	138	Jun 2025	Aug 2, 2008 · $510,000 damage
Flooding	12	May 2017	Oct 3, 2015 · $10,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	11	Feb 2026	Feb 11, 2014 · 1 death
Ice storms & sleet	6	Feb 2015	Jan 26, 2004 · $2.5 million damage
Flash flooding	6	Sep 2020	Oct 8, 2016 · $800,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	5	Sep 2022	Sep 14, 2018 · $40,000 damage
Excessive heat	5	Jun 2015	May 8, 2014 · 1 death
High winds	4	Jan 2024	—

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

Which radars cover Lamar?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 62 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Lamar	View
KCAE Columbia, SC	62 mi west-southwest	4,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLTX Wilmington, NC	94 mi east	8,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCLX Charleston, SC	119 mi south-southwest	12,500 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 Lamar

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 81 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lamar, 19 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an EF3 on April 15, 2007, which passed about 17 miles southwest of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on August 30, 2023, which touched down about 18 miles south-southeast of town.

Hail: 209 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 21 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 25, 2000.

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 Lamar'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.

Lamar radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lamar, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 62 miles west-southwest. KLTX (Wilmington, NC) is 94 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lamar?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lamar the lowest scan from KCAE is about 4,800 ft up.

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

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