Chester, TX Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Chester What TALON shows

What weather hits Chester?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 77 days in the Tyler forecast zone and Tyler County — the most common reported hazard around Chester, mostly in May and April. Next come flash flooding (26 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (5 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	77	Mar 2026	Jul 13, 1998 · $75,000 damage
Flash flooding	26	Apr 2025	Aug 28, 2017 · 1 death · $60 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	5	Jan 2025	—
Flooding	5	Jun 2016	Mar 10, 2016 · $700,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	4	Oct 2020	Sep 13, 2008 · $45 million damage
Excessive heat	3	Aug 2023	—
Wildfires	3	Aug 2011	Apr 18, 2011 · $15,000 damage
Ice storms & sleet	2	Feb 2021	—

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

Which radars cover Chester?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 98 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Chester	View
KPOE Fort Polk, LA	98 mi east	9,200 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLCH Lake Charles, LA	99 mi east-southeast	9,500 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KHGX Houston, TX	104 mi south-southwest	10,200 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 Chester

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 47 tornadoes within 25 miles of Chester, 17 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an EF3 on April 22, 2020, which passed about 7 miles west-southwest of town and caused 3 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on March 4, 2025, which touched down about 9 miles southeast of town.

Hail: 126 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.75-inch hail on May 27, 1997.

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 Chester'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.

Chester radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Chester, TX?

KPOE (Fort Polk, LA), about 98 miles east. KLCH (Lake Charles, LA) is 99 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Chester?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Chester the lowest scan from KPOE is about 9,200 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Texas towns →