Lancaster, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Lancaster What TALON shows

What weather hits Lancaster?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 56 days in the Lancaster forecast zone and Lancaster County — the most common reported hazard around Lancaster, mostly in July and June. Next come heavy snow & winter storms (34 days) and coastal flooding (24 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	56	Jun 2026	Jul 12, 2009 · $1.0 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	34	Feb 2025	Feb 19, 2025 · $1,000 damage
Coastal flooding	24	Oct 2025	Oct 2, 2015 · $1.0 million damage
Flash flooding	9	Jul 2025	Jul 20, 2024 · $75,000 damage
Hurricanes & tropical storms	7	Jul 2021	Sep 15, 1999 · $560,000 damage
Flooding	5	Oct 2018	—
Excessive heat	4	Jun 2025	—
High winds	4	Oct 2018	Sep 1, 2006 · $200,000 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 Lancaster forecast zone and Lancaster County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Lancaster?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 62 miles south-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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Lancaster	View
KAKQ Wakefield, VA	62 mi south-southwest	4,800 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KDOX Dover AFB, DE	92 mi northeast	8,400 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLWX Sterling, MD	101 mi north-northwest	9,800 ft	Fair — 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 Lancaster

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 57 tornadoes within 25 miles of Lancaster, 10 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in May and April. The strongest was an EF3 on April 16, 2011, which passed about 21 miles south of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on November 9, 2025, which touched down about 16 miles south-southeast of town.

Hail: 55 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 2 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.00-inch hail on August 26, 2003.

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 Lancaster'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.

Lancaster radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Lancaster, VA?

KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 62 miles south-southwest. KDOX (Dover AFB, DE) is 92 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Lancaster?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Lancaster the lowest scan from KAKQ is about 4,800 ft up.

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

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