Handley, WV Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Handley What TALON shows

What weather hits Handley?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 206 days in the Kanawha forecast zone and Kanawha County — the most common reported hazard around Handley, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (91 days) and flooding (49 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	206	Jun 2026	Aug 4, 2010 · 1 death · $200,000 damage
Flash flooding	91	Jun 2026	Feb 18, 2000 · 3 deaths · $500,000 damage
Flooding	49	Jul 2025	Jun 23, 2016 · 4 deaths · $36 million damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	43	Feb 2026	Feb 16, 2003 · $1.8 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	27	Feb 2026	Dec 30, 2017 · 1 death
Excessive heat	20	Jul 2011	—
High winds	17	Apr 2023	Dec 9, 2009 · $125,000 damage
Lightning casualties & damage	10	Jul 2018	Jul 27, 2005 · 1 death

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 Kanawha forecast zone and Kanawha County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Handley?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRLX (Charleston, WV), about 21 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 Handley	View
KRLX Charleston, WV	21 mi west-northwest	1,200 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFCX Blacksburg, VA	101 mi southeast	9,700 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KJKL Jackson, KY	114 mi west-southwest	11,700 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 Handley

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 18 tornadoes within 25 miles of Handley, 4 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and June. The strongest was an EF2 on April 2, 2024, which passed about 21 miles east-southeast of town. The most recent was an EF1 on April 2, 2024, which passed about 23 miles west-northwest of town.

Hail: 132 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 10 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.25-inch hail on May 23, 2019.

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 Handley'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.

Handley radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Handley, WV?

KRLX (Charleston, WV), about 21 miles west-northwest. KFCX (Blacksburg, VA) is 101 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Handley?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Handley the lowest scan from KRLX is about 1,200 ft up.

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

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