Williston, SC Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Williston What TALON shows

What weather hits Williston?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 128 days in the Barnwell forecast zone and Barnwell County — the most common reported hazard around Williston, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (6 days) and lightning casualties & damage (6 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	128	Jun 2025	Apr 5, 2011 · $46,000 damage
Flash flooding	6	Apr 2025	May 25, 2009 · $8,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	6	Aug 2023	Aug 11, 2023 · $2.0 million damage
Ice storms & sleet	5	Feb 2014	—
High winds	5	Jan 2022	Oct 8, 2016 · $50,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	5	Jan 2026	—
Hurricanes & tropical storms	4	Sep 2024	Sep 27, 2024 · $6.0 million damage
Flooding	3	Jul 2017	Jun 10, 2013 · $1,000 damage

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

Which radars cover Williston?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 42 miles north-northeast. 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 Williston	View
KCAE Columbia, SC	42 mi north-northeast	2,800 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KCLX Charleston, SC	56 mi south-southeast	4,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KGSP Greer, SC	112 mi north-northwest	11,400 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 Williston

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 89 tornadoes within 25 miles of Williston, 28 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an EF3 on April 13, 2020, which passed about 6 miles southeast of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on May 12, 2025, which touched down about 25 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 139 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 7 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on May 20, 2008.

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 Williston'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.

Williston radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Williston, SC?

KCAE (Columbia, SC), about 42 miles north-northeast. KCLX (Charleston, SC) is 56 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Williston?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Williston the lowest scan from KCAE is about 2,800 ft up.

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

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