Portsmouth, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Portsmouth What TALON shows

What weather hits Portsmouth?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 38 days in the Portsmouth forecast zone and City of Portsmouth County — the most common reported hazard around Portsmouth, mostly in June and May. Next come flash flooding (29 days) and flooding (8 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	38	Mar 2026	Jun 16, 2023 · $50,000 damage
Flash flooding	29	Jun 2026	—
Flooding	8	Nov 2020	Oct 8, 2016 · $3.0 million damage
Lightning casualties & damage	4	Mar 2025	Jun 14, 2017 · $100,000 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 Portsmouth forecast zone and City of Portsmouth County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Portsmouth get?

A normal year brings about 3.0 inches of snow to Portsmouth, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Norfolk Nas weather station 7.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (2.3 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.0	0.0	2.3	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.0

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Portsmouth?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 37 miles west-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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Portsmouth	View
KAKQ Wakefield, VA	37 mi west-northwest	2,400 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KRAX Raleigh/Durham, NC	145 mi southwest	17,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KDOX Dover AFB, DE	145 mi north-northeast	17,200 ft	Limited — 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 Portsmouth

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 91 tornadoes within 25 miles of Portsmouth, 12 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in August and April. The strongest was an EF3 on April 28, 2008, which passed about 3 miles northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on June 16, 2023, which passed about 10 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 238 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 15 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on June 9, 2009.

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 Portsmouth'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.

Portsmouth radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Portsmouth, VA?

KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 37 miles west-northwest. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 145 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Portsmouth?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Portsmouth the lowest scan from KAKQ is about 2,400 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

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