Lake Caroline, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lake CarolineWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Lake Caroline?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 111 days in the Caroline forecast zone and Caroline County — the most common reported hazard around Lake Caroline, mostly in June and July. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (52 days) and flash flooding (14 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds111Jun 2026Jun 19, 2014 · $100,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms52Feb 2025Feb 18, 2021 · $30,000 damage
Flash flooding14Jul 2025Sep 16, 1999 · $122,000 damage
Flooding9Aug 2021—
Excessive heat4Jun 2025—
Ice storms & sleet3Feb 2021Feb 13, 2021 · $50,000 damage
High winds2Mar 2018Mar 2, 2018 · $25,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms2Aug 2011Aug 27, 2011 · $125,000 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 Caroline forecast zone and Caroline County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Lake Caroline?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KLWX (Sterling, MD), about 68 miles north. 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 Lake CarolineView
KLWX
Sterling, MD		68 mi north5,500 ftGood — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KAKQ
Wakefield, VA		75 mi south-southeast6,200 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KDOX
Dover AFB, DE		127 mi east-northeast13,900 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 Lake Caroline

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 59 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lake Caroline, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in September and June. The strongest was an F3 on April 1, 1998, which passed about 7 miles south of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF1 on August 8, 2024, which touched down near town.

Hail: 166 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 11 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 Lake Caroline'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.

Lake Caroline radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lake Caroline, VA?

KLWX (Sterling, MD), about 68 miles north. KAKQ (Wakefield, VA) is 75 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lake Caroline?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lake Caroline the lowest scan from KLWX is about 5,500 ft up.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Virginia towns →