Helvetia, WV Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for HelvetiaWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Helvetia?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 59 days in the Northwest Randolph forecast zone and Randolph County — the most common reported hazard around Helvetia, mostly in June and April. Next come flash flooding (36 days) and flooding (32 days).

HazardDays reportedMost recentWorst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds59Jun 2026Jun 29, 2012 · 1 death · $1.0 million damage
Flash flooding36Jun 2026May 16, 1996 · 2 deaths · $1.5 million damage
Flooding32Mar 2026Jun 2, 2018 · $50,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms19Mar 2026—
High winds7Dec 2025Feb 24, 2019 · $50,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill2Feb 2026—
Lightning casualties & damage1Jul 2002Jul 9, 2002 · $2,000 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 Northwest Randolph forecast zone and Randolph County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Helvetia get?

A normal year brings about 71 inches of snow to Helvetia, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Hacker Valley weather station 11.5 miles away. The snowiest month is usually January (22.9 in).

OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMay
0.34.014.022.916.111.61.90.0

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

Which radars cover Helvetia?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRLX (Charleston, WV), about 87 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.

RadarDistanceLowest beam over HelvetiaView
KRLX
Charleston, WV		87 mi west-southwest7,800 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFCX
Blacksburg, VA		116 mi south12,100 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPBZ
Pittsburgh, PA		126 mi north13,800 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 Helvetia

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 2 tornadoes within 25 miles of Helvetia. The strongest was an EF1 on June 17, 2015, which touched down about 10 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 72 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 3 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.00-inch hail on May 4, 2025.

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 Helvetia'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.

Helvetia radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Helvetia, WV?

KRLX (Charleston, WV), about 87 miles west-southwest. KFCX (Blacksburg, VA) is 116 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Helvetia?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Helvetia the lowest scan from KRLX is about 7,800 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

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