Cape Charles, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Cape CharlesWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Cape Charles?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 37 days in the Northampton forecast zone and Northampton County — the most common reported hazard around Cape Charles, mostly in June and May. Next come coastal flooding (35 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (23 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds37Jun 2025Jul 24, 2014 · 3 deaths · $750,000 damage
Coastal flooding35Oct 2025Nov 12, 2009 · $1.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms23Feb 2026Jan 10, 2025 · $1,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms12Sep 2023Sep 15, 1999 · $4.7 million damage
Flash flooding8Sep 2025—
High winds7Feb 2026Sep 1, 2006 · $5.0 million damage
Flooding5Nov 2020Oct 8, 2016 · $500,000 damage
Excessive heat4Jun 2025—

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

Which radars cover Cape Charles?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 58 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 Cape CharlesView
KAKQ
Wakefield, VA		58 mi west-southwest4,300 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDOX
Dover AFB, DE		113 mi north-northeast11,600 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KLWX
Sterling, MD		144 mi north-northwest16,900 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 Cape Charles

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 34 tornadoes within 25 miles of Cape Charles, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and September. The strongest was an EF3 on April 30, 2023, which passed about 22 miles south of town.

Hail: 46 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 7 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on June 13, 1998.

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 Cape Charles'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.

Cape Charles radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Cape Charles, VA?

KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 58 miles west-southwest. KDOX (Dover AFB, DE) is 113 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Cape Charles?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Cape Charles the lowest scan from KAKQ is about 4,300 ft up.

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

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