Carbonado, WA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Carbonado What TALON shows

What weather hits Carbonado?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged lightning damage or injuries on 5 days in the Foothills and Valleys of Pierce and Southern King Counties forecast zone and Pierce County — the most common reported hazard around Carbonado, mostly in September and February. Next come flooding (3 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (1 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Lightning casualties & damage	5	Sep 2013	Sep 5, 2013 · $5,000 damage
Flooding	3	Dec 2015	Jan 7, 2009 · $8.8 million damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	1	May 2013	May 13, 2013 · $30,000 damage
Debris flows	1	Mar 2017	—

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 Foothills and Valleys of Pierce and Southern King Counties forecast zone and Pierce County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Carbonado get?

A normal year brings about 4.3 inches of snow to Carbonado, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Buckley 1 Ne weather station 6.4 miles away. The snowiest month is usually November (1.5 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.0	1.5	1.1	0.2	1.3	0.2	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 Carbonado?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KATX (Seattle/Tacoma, WA), about 80 miles north-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 Carbonado	View
KATX Seattle/Tacoma, WA	80 mi north-northwest	6,800 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KLGX Langley Hill, WA	97 mi west	9,100 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KRTX Portland, OR	104 mi south-southwest	10,200 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 Carbonado

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 7 tornadoes within 25 miles of Carbonado. Most came in September and June. The strongest was an EF1 on September 6, 2009, which passed about 9 miles north-northwest of town. The most recent was an EF0 on April 27, 2014, which touched down about 18 miles south-southwest of town.

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 Carbonado'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.

Carbonado radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Carbonado, WA?

KATX (Seattle/Tacoma, WA), about 80 miles north-northwest. KLGX (Langley Hill, WA) is 97 miles away and also covers the area.

Can radar see a tornado near Carbonado?

Radar can't see the tornado itself, but it shows the rotating storm and, once debris is lofted, a debris signature. Over Carbonado the lowest scan from KATX is about 6,800 ft up — fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation.

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

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