Raleigh receives around 1,150 mm (about 45 inches) of rain a year, fairly evenly spread through the seasons, with summer convective thunderstorms and occasional heavy rain from tropical systems moving inland from the North Carolina coast both contributing meaningfully. The city’s rapid growth has increased paved surface area substantially, meaning intense summer downpours can produce faster street and creek flooding than in past decades. Remnants of hurricanes, including notable storms like Florence in 2018, have brought extended, damaging rainfall well inland from the coast. Because both fast local storms and inland tropical rainfall matter here, radar is a genuinely practical everyday tool. NWS Doppler radar KRAX (Raleigh/Durham) covers the region.
Learn more: How Does Rain Radar Work? · Open the full Rain Map