Arrington, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for ArringtonWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Arrington?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 122 days in the Nelson forecast zone and Nelson County — the most common reported hazard around Arrington, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (46 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (44 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds122Mar 2026May 26, 2024 · 1 death · $5,000 damage
Flash flooding46Jul 2025Sep 6, 1996 · $1.1 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms44Jan 2026Feb 5, 2010 · $5,000 damage
Excessive heat34Jul 2020—
Flooding33May 2025Jun 5, 2016 · $20,000 damage
High winds18Apr 2025Sep 6, 1996 · $265,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill12Feb 2026—
Ice storms & sleet6Feb 2008Feb 4, 1998 · $160,000 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 Nelson forecast zone and Nelson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Arrington?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFCX (Blacksburg, VA), about 88 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over ArringtonView
KFCX
Blacksburg, VA		88 mi west-southwest8,000 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KAKQ
Wakefield, VA		114 mi east-southeast11,800 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLWX
Sterling, MD		118 mi northeast12,400 ftLimited — 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 Arrington

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 14 tornadoes within 25 miles of Arrington, 3 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and May. The strongest was an EF3 on February 24, 2016, which passed about 23 miles southeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on April 19, 2019, which touched down about 6 miles east-northeast of town.

Hail: 132 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 5 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.50-inch hail on July 2, 1968.

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 Arrington'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.

Arrington radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Arrington, VA?

KFCX (Blacksburg, VA), about 88 miles west-southwest. KAKQ (Wakefield, VA) is 114 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Arrington?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Arrington the lowest scan from KFCX is about 8,000 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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