Colonial Beach, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Colonial BeachWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Colonial Beach?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 73 days in the Westmoreland forecast zone and Westmoreland County — the most common reported hazard around Colonial Beach, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (48 days) and flash flooding (16 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds73Jun 2026Aug 6, 2000 · $50,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms48Feb 2026Feb 18, 2021 · $30,000 damage
Flash flooding16Jul 2025Sep 16, 1999 · $250,000 damage
Coastal flooding11Oct 2025Sep 1, 2006 · $120,000 damage
Flooding5Oct 2018—
Excessive heat4Jun 2025—
Hurricanes & tropical storms4Jul 2021Aug 27, 2011 · $1.0 million damage
Ice storms & sleet3Feb 2021Feb 13, 2021 · $40,000 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 Westmoreland forecast zone and Westmoreland County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Colonial Beach?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLWX (Sterling, MD), about 56 miles north-northwest. 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 Colonial BeachView
KLWX
Sterling, MD		56 mi north-northwest4,100 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KAKQ
Wakefield, VA		88 mi south8,000 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDOX
Dover AFB, DE		93 mi east-northeast8,500 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Colonial Beach

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 85 tornadoes within 25 miles of Colonial Beach, 10 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in July and June. The strongest was an F4 on April 28, 2002, which passed about 18 miles north of town and caused 3 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on July 1, 2025, which touched down about 17 miles east of town.

Hail: 161 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 14 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.75-inch hail on August 7, 2023.

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 Colonial Beach'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.

Colonial Beach radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Colonial Beach, VA?

KLWX (Sterling, MD), about 56 miles north-northwest. KAKQ (Wakefield, VA) is 88 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Colonial Beach?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Colonial Beach the lowest scan from KLWX is about 4,100 ft up.

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

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