Santee, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Santee What TALON shows

What weather hits Santee?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 256 days in the Southeastern Orangeburg forecast zone and Orangeburg County — the most common reported hazard around Santee, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (24 days) and lightning casualties & damage (7 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	256	Jun 2026	May 29, 2012 · 1 death · $4,000 damage
Flash flooding	24	May 2026	Oct 3, 2015 · $30 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	7	Jul 2008	Jul 5, 2008 · 1 death
Flooding	7	May 2025	Nov 7, 2024 · 2 deaths
Hurricanes & tropical storms	3	Sep 2024	Sep 27, 2024 · $3.5 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	3	Feb 2026	—

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

Which radars cover Santee?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 48 miles northwest. 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 Santee	View
KCAE Columbia, SC	48 mi northwest	3,400 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KCLX Charleston, SC	66 mi south-southwest	5,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KLTX Wilmington, NC	123 mi east-northeast	13,300 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 Santee

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 116 tornadoes within 25 miles of Santee, 18 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and September. The strongest was an EF3 on April 15, 2007, which passed about 21 miles north of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on May 30, 2025, which passed about 8 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 151 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 5 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on June 26, 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 Santee'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.

Santee radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Santee, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 48 miles northwest. KCLX (Charleston, SC) is 66 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Santee?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Santee the lowest scan from KCAE is about 3,400 ft up — good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All South Carolina towns →