Live Oak, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Live OakWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Live Oak?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 186 days in the Northern Horry forecast zone and Horry County — the most common reported hazard around Live Oak, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (47 days) and lightning casualties & damage (45 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds186Jun 2026May 20, 2005 · $1.2 million damage
Flash flooding47Oct 2025Sep 15, 2018 · 2 deaths · $10,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage45Apr 2026Aug 16, 1998 · 1 death
Flooding18Aug 2025Oct 4, 2015 · $10 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms3Feb 2026—
Storm surge2Sep 2001—
High winds1Mar 2022—
Hurricanes & tropical storms1Sep 2022—

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

Which radars cover Live Oak?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 30 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over Live OakView
KLTX
Wilmington, NC		30 mi east1,800 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KRAX
Raleigh/Durham, NC		114 mi north-northeast11,800 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KCAE
Columbia, SC		125 mi west13,600 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 Live Oak

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 87 tornadoes within 25 miles of Live Oak, 20 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and June. The strongest was an F4 on November 7, 1995, which touched down about 24 miles west-northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on September 27, 2024, which passed about 23 miles west-southwest of town.

Hail: 266 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 19 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 Live Oak'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.

Live Oak radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Live Oak, SC?

KLTX (Wilmington, NC), about 30 miles east. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 114 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Live Oak?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Live Oak the lowest scan from KLTX is about 1,800 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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