Sylvester, WV Live Doppler Radar

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

Open live radar for Sylvester What TALON shows

What weather hits Sylvester?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 105 days in the Boone forecast zone and Boone County — the most common reported hazard around Sylvester, mostly in July and June. Next come flash flooding (41 days) and heavy snow & winter storms (39 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	105	Jun 2026	Jun 29, 2012 · $750,000 damage
Flash flooding	41	Jun 2026	Jul 25, 2010 · 1 death · $100,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	39	Jan 2026	Oct 29, 2012 · $750,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	28	Feb 2026	Feb 18, 2015 · $150,000 damage
Excessive heat	20	Jul 2011	—
Flooding	19	Jun 2026	Apr 15, 2007 · $750,000 damage
High winds	12	Dec 2025	Dec 19, 2025 · $20,000 damage
Wildfires	4	Apr 2016	Apr 6, 2016 · $25,000 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 Boone forecast zone and Boone County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Sylvester?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KRLX (Charleston, WV), about 23 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 Sylvester	View
KRLX Charleston, WV	23 mi north-northwest	1,300 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KFCX Blacksburg, VA	98 mi southeast	9,300 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation
KJKL Jackson, KY	100 mi west-southwest	9,600 ft	Fair — the beam can pass over shallow snow and low-level rotation

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 Sylvester

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 13 tornadoes within 25 miles of Sylvester, 2 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in June and March. The strongest was an F2 on February 25, 1961, which passed about 22 miles east of town. The most recent was an EF1 on April 2, 2024, which passed about 16 miles north of town.

Hail: 140 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 6 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 2.50-inch hail on October 7, 2014.

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 Sylvester'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.

Sylvester radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Sylvester, WV?

KRLX (Charleston, WV), about 23 miles north-northwest. KFCX (Blacksburg, VA) is 98 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Sylvester?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Sylvester the lowest scan from KRLX is about 1,300 ft up.

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

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