Sudden Valley, WA Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Sudden ValleyWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Sudden Valley?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 5 days in the Foothills and Valleys of the North Cascades forecast zone and Whatcom County — the most common reported hazard around Sudden Valley, mostly in November and January. Next come storm surge (2 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (2 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Flooding5Nov 2021Nov 14, 2021 · 1 death · $34 million damage
Storm surge2Dec 2001Dec 15, 2000 · $650,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds2Jun 2012Jun 23, 2012 · $1,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage1Nov 1996Nov 9, 1996 · $3,000 damage
Debris flows1Jan 2013Jan 8, 2013 · $5,000 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 Foothills and Valleys of the North Cascades forecast zone and Whatcom County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Sudden Valley get?

A normal year brings about 3.4 inches of snow to Sudden Valley, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Bellingham 3 Ssw weather station 7.6 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (1.1 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.10.80.31.10.60.50.00.0

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

Which radars cover Sudden Valley?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KATX (Seattle/Tacoma, WA), about 37 miles south. 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over Sudden ValleyView
KATX
Seattle/Tacoma, WA		37 mi south2,400 ftExcellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KLGX
Langley Hill, WA		138 mi southwest15,900 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KRTX
Portland, OR		210 mi south31,700 ftLimited — 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 Sudden Valley

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 1 tornado within 25 miles of Sudden Valley. The strongest was an F0 on April 27, 2004, which touched down about 20 miles north-northeast 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 Sudden Valley'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.

Sudden Valley radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Sudden Valley, WA?

KATX (Seattle/Tacoma, WA), about 37 miles south. KLGX (Langley Hill, WA) is 138 miles away and also covers the area.

How often does Sudden Valley flood?

Since 1996 the National Weather Service has logged river or areal flooding on 5 days in the Foothills and Valleys of the North Cascades forecast zone and Whatcom County; the deadliest was on November 14, 2021, with 1 death. TALON's free flash-flood risk layer shows, every 2 minutes, how close the rain that has fallen is to what it takes to flood — turn it on under Layers.

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

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