Pickens, WV Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for PickensWhat TALON shows

What weather hits Pickens?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 59 days in the Southeast Randolph forecast zone and Randolph County — the most common reported hazard around Pickens, mostly in June and April. Next come flash flooding (36 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (34 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
Heavy snow & winter storms34Feb 2026—
Flooding32Mar 2026Jun 2, 2018 · $50,000 damage
High winds8Dec 2025Feb 24, 2019 · $50,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill2Feb 2026—
Ice storms & sleet1Nov 2018Nov 15, 2018 · $10,000 damage
Blizzards1Dec 2025—

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

How much snow does Pickens get?

A normal year brings about 71 inches of snow to Pickens, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Hacker Valley weather station 9.3 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 Pickens?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRLX (Charleston, WV), about 85 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 PickensView
KRLX
Charleston, WV		85 mi west-southwest7,500 ftFair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KFCX
Blacksburg, VA		113 mi south11,600 ftLimited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KPBZ
Pittsburgh, PA		130 mi north14,400 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 Pickens

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 1 tornado within 25 miles of Pickens. The strongest was an EF1 on June 17, 2015, which touched down about 14 miles north-northeast of town.

Hail: 70 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 Pickens'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.

Pickens radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Pickens, WV?

KRLX (Charleston, WV), about 85 miles west-southwest. KFCX (Blacksburg, VA) is 113 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Pickens?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Pickens the lowest scan from KRLX is about 7,500 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

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

Radar for nearby towns

All West Virginia towns →