Shipman, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Shipman What TALON shows

What weather hits Shipman?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 122 days in the Nelson forecast zone and Nelson County — the most common reported hazard around Shipman, mostly in June and July. Next come flash flooding (46 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (44 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	122	Mar 2026	May 26, 2024 · 1 death · $5,000 damage
Flash flooding	46	Jul 2025	Sep 6, 1996 · $1.1 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	44	Jan 2026	Feb 5, 2010 · $5,000 damage
Excessive heat	34	Jul 2020	—
Flooding	33	May 2025	Jun 5, 2016 · $20,000 damage
High winds	18	Apr 2025	Sep 6, 1996 · $265,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	12	Feb 2026	—
Ice storms & sleet	6	Feb 2008	Feb 4, 1998 · $160,000 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 Nelson forecast zone and Nelson County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Shipman?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KFCX (Blacksburg, VA), about 93 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.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Shipman	View
KFCX Blacksburg, VA	93 mi west-southwest	8,600 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLWX Sterling, MD	113 mi northeast	11,600 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KAKQ Wakefield, VA	113 mi east-southeast	11,600 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 Shipman

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 17 tornadoes within 25 miles of Shipman, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and June. The strongest was an EF3 on February 24, 2016, which passed about 25 miles south-southeast of town and caused 1 death. The most recent was an EF1 on April 26, 2022, which passed about 24 miles north of town.

Hail: 138 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 7 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.50-inch hail on July 2, 1968.

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 Shipman'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.

Shipman radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Shipman, VA?

KFCX (Blacksburg, VA), about 93 miles west-southwest. KLWX (Sterling, MD) is 113 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Shipman?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Shipman the lowest scan from KFCX is about 8,600 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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