Suffolk, VA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Suffolk What TALON shows

What weather hits Suffolk?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 98 days in the Suffolk forecast zone and City of Suffolk County — the most common reported hazard around Suffolk, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (24 days) and lightning casualties & damage (5 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	98	Jun 2026	Apr 9, 1998 · $100,000 damage
Flash flooding	24	Jul 2025	—
Lightning casualties & damage	5	Sep 2023	Sep 9, 2023 · $15,000 damage
Flooding	5	Nov 2020	Oct 8, 2016 · $1.0 million 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 Suffolk forecast zone and City of Suffolk County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Suffolk get?

A normal year brings about 5.8 inches of snow to Suffolk, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Suffolk Lake Kilby weather station 2.9 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (3.1 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	0.0	0.9	3.1	1.5	0.3	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 Suffolk?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 29 miles 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 Suffolk	View
KAKQ Wakefield, VA	29 mi northwest	1,700 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KRAX Raleigh/Durham, NC	126 mi southwest	13,700 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KMHX Morehead City, NC	133 mi south	15,100 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 Suffolk

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 78 tornadoes within 25 miles of Suffolk, 11 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and August. The strongest was an F3 on March 28, 1984, which passed about 17 miles south-southeast of town and caused 2 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on June 16, 2023, which passed about 16 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 183 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 9 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.50-inch hail on June 4, 1985.

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 Suffolk'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.

Suffolk radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Suffolk, VA?

KAKQ (Wakefield, VA), about 29 miles northwest. KRAX (Raleigh/Durham, NC) is 126 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Suffolk?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Suffolk the lowest scan from KAKQ is about 1,700 ft up — excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All Virginia towns →