Lydia, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lydia What TALON shows

What weather hits Lydia?

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 Lydia, 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 Lydia?

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 Lydia	View
KCAE Columbia, SC	62 mi west-southwest	4,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLTX Wilmington, NC	99 mi east-southeast	9,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KCLX Charleston, SC	125 mi south-southwest	13,500 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 Lydia

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 77 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lydia, 17 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and September. The strongest was an F4 on March 28, 1984, which passed about 23 miles north-northeast of town. The most recent was an EF0 on June 16, 2022, which passed about 6 miles east-southeast of town.

Hail: 177 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 16 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 Lydia'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.

Lydia radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lydia, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 62 miles west-southwest. KLTX (Wilmington, NC) is 99 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lydia?

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

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

Radar for nearby towns

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