Charleston, TN Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Charleston What TALON shows

What weather hits Charleston?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 176 days in the Bradley forecast zone and Bradley County — the most common reported hazard around Charleston, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (28 days) and flash flooding (15 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	176	Jun 2026	Apr 26, 2005 · $86,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	28	Jan 2025	—
Flash flooding	15	May 2024	May 6, 2003 · $14 million damage
Flooding	14	Dec 2015	Sep 26, 2009 · $5,000 damage
High winds	2	Mar 2023	—
Ice storms & sleet	2	Jan 2005	—
Lightning casualties & damage	2	Aug 2009	Jun 26, 1999 · 1 death
Hurricanes & tropical storms	1	Sep 2004	Sep 16, 2004 · $15,000 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 Bradley forecast zone and Bradley County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Charleston get?

A normal year brings about 1.1 inches of snow to Charleston, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Cleveland Fltr Plt weather station 4.9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually February (0.6 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.0	0.3	0.2	0.6	0.0	0.0	0.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Charleston?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KHTX (Huntsville, AL), about 79 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 Charleston	View
KHTX Huntsville, AL	79 mi west-southwest	6,700 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KMRX Knoxville, TN	98 mi northeast	9,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KOHX Nashville, TN	121 mi northwest	12,900 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 Charleston

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 74 tornadoes within 25 miles of Charleston, 25 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an EF4 on April 27, 2011, which passed about 3 miles southeast of town and caused 20 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on March 2, 2023, which touched down about 11 miles west of town.

Hail: 198 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 20 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.00-inch hail on May 20, 2006.

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 Charleston'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.

Charleston radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Charleston, TN?

KHTX (Huntsville, AL), about 79 miles west-southwest. KMRX (Knoxville, TN) is 98 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Charleston?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Charleston the lowest scan from KHTX is about 6,700 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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