Rincon

Population 11,726 (2025)

57 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Rincon since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was Gracie in 1959 (Category 4).

Hazard fingerprint for Rincon Tornado: 40th percentile. Tropical: 93th percentile. Wildfire: 27th percentile. Flood: 19th percentile. Hail & wind: 91th percentile. Heat: 33th percentile. Cold: 9th percentile. Winter: 8th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195056
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger97
  • Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 198426
  • Major flood years since 1978, Effingham County1

At a glance

Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Effingham County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Effingham County.

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

57

14 at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

56

2 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Large wildfires within 25 mi

26

Largest: Unnamed, 1994

Details

Flood insurance claims

77

Effingham County

$1.1 million paid since 1990

Details

Strongest tornado

EF4

April 5, 2022, 14.4 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

Cat. 4

Hurricane Gracie, 1959, 39.7 miles away

Federal disaster declarations

17

Most recent: Hurricane Helene, 2024

Details

Record high

105°F

July 20, 1986

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 1.4 years since 1950, 2 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

April 5, 2022

EF4, 14.4 mile path

1,300 yards wide; 1 killed along the whole path.

Deadliest

April 9, 1998

2 killed, F3

17 injured along the whole path.

Most recent

Thursday, July 10, 2025

EF0, 0.6 mile path

Within the past year.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 3 3 1960s: 7 7 1970s: 9 9 1980s: 6 6 1990s: 6 6 2000s: 9 9 2010s: 8 8 2020s: 8 8 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 1 F: 2 M: 2 A: 11 M: 12 12 J: 6 J: 7 A: 0 S: 10 O: 1 N: 4 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
Jul 10, 2025EF00.66000
Sep 26, 2024EF01.310000
Sep 26, 2024EF06.515000
Jun 14, 2023EF17.028000
Jun 14, 2023EF00.225000
Apr 5, 2022EF414.41,300121
Jul 7, 2021EF11.910000
Sep 17, 2020EF12.715000
May 4, 2019EF12.217010
Jul 27, 2018EF12.410000
May 4, 2017EF12.812050
Feb 9, 2017EF29.830070
May 17, 2016EF10.810000
Jan 4, 2015EF13.044000
Jun 11, 2012EF14.152500
Apr 8, 2010EF00.12000
Jun 19, 2008EF10.810000
Mar 15, 2008EF20.510000
Mar 15, 2008EF27.044050
Jun 13, 2006F00.55000
Jun 13, 2006F10.517500
Jul 13, 2005F00.12000
Sep 7, 2004F00.55000
Sep 6, 2004F12.010010
Sep 6, 2004F16.030000
May 8, 1998F05.04000
Apr 9, 1998F11.015000
Apr 9, 1998F38.0440172
Apr 3, 1998F01.03000
Nov 21, 1996F00.92000
Nov 7, 1995F18.56010
Nov 15, 1989F11.05050
May 3, 1984F11.53000
May 3, 1984F12.05000
May 3, 1984F15.010000
May 23, 1980F21.010020
Apr 8, 1980F14.23000
Jul 5, 1979F00.15000
Apr 9, 1979F110.750100
Feb 1, 1976F18.410000
Sep 23, 1975F12.56080
May 3, 1975F25.45020
May 12, 1974F12.05031
Nov 9, 1973F21.020000
May 29, 1973F10.110000
Oct 27, 1972F21.040000
Sep 2, 1969F00.11000
Jul 30, 1966F00.53300
May 19, 1965F10.810000
Jul 12, 1962F12.03000
Sep 13, 1961F20.22000
Apr 9, 1961F10.72000
Apr 3, 1961F00.53300
Apr 5, 1957F00.31000
Sep 4, 1956F10.33300
Apr 2, 1955F15.120000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

57 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 14 at hurricane strength, 1 as major hurricanes.

Strongest within 50 miles

September 29, 1959

Gracie, Category 4

39.7 miles at closest approach, winds near 132 mph.

Most recent

August 6, 2024

Debby, Tropical storm

21.8 miles at closest approach.

Tropical cyclones within 50 miles by decade 50s: 2 60s: 1 70s: 5 80s: 5 90s: 6 6 00s: 4 10s: 3 20s: 2 30s: 1 40s: 6 50s: 4 60s: 4 70s: 3 80s: 3 90s: 0 00s: 1 10s: 4 20s: 3 50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s
Storms within 50 miles, by decade. Records before about 1900 miss storms that never reached land or ships.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Debby202421.8Tropical storm46Category 1
Idalia202311.6Tropical storm61Category 4
Colin202243.1Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Elsa202146.2Tropical storm47Category 1
Eta202071.6Tropical storm44Category 4
Bertha202099.1Tropical storm49Tropical storm
Nestor201961.4Post-tropical45Tropical storm
Florence201890.2Tropical storm43Category 4
Matthew201645.0Category 298Category 5
Julia201646.4Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Hermine20167.6Tropical storm58Category 1
Colin201656.2Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Andrea201314.4Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Barry200719.2Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Charley200483.0Category 177Category 4
Kyle200246.4Tropical storm40Category 1
Earl199837.1Post-tropical46Category 2
Josephine199625.1Post-tropical52Tropical storm
Allison199532.0Post-tropical40Category 1
Hugo198990.6Category 4138Category 5
Chris198815.8Tropical storm44Tropical storm
Kate198521.0Tropical storm58Category 3
Bob198540.2Tropical storm71Category 1
Isidore198480.1Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Unnamed198282.0Subtropical storm69Tropical storm
Dennis198169.6Tropical storm49Category 1
David19797.4Category 178Category 5
Unnamed197626.3Subtropical storm46Tropical storm
Dottie197672.2Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed197662.3Subtropical storm46Tropical storm
Alma19706.3Tropical storm44Category 1
Alma196615.2Tropical storm46Category 3
Hilda196489.5Post-tropical52Category 4
Dora196418.3Tropical storm69Category 4
Cleo196416.8Tropical storm48Category 4
Brenda196026.2Tropical storm66Tropical storm
Gracie195939.7Category 4132Category 4
Unnamed195730.7Tropical storm40Category 1
Flossy195635.4Post-tropical47Category 1
Unnamed195436.9Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Florence195314.0Post-tropical46Category 3
Able195236.1Category 190Category 2
Unnamed194992.4Tropical storm69Category 4
Unnamed194735.1Category 2104Category 2
Unnamed19477.6Post-tropical46Tropical storm
Unnamed194630.6Tropical storm58Category 2
Unnamed194523.8Tropical storm69Category 4
Unnamed194411.8Tropical storm59Category 4
Unnamed194126.6Tropical storm45Category 3
Unnamed19407.6Category 175Category 2
Unnamed193549.3Tropical storm60Category 5
Unnamed193373.9Tropical storm43Category 4
Unnamed193266.4Post-tropical46Category 1
Unnamed192949.9Post-tropical58Category 4
Unnamed192837.9Category 186Category 5
Unnamed192750.8Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed192413.8Post-tropical63Category 1
Unnamed19249.1Tropical storm40Category 1
Unnamed191974.5Tropical storm45Tropical storm
Unnamed191654.9Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed191635.7Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed191556.5Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed191397.2Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed191268.8Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Unnamed19113.2Tropical storm67Category 2
Unnamed191042.1Tropical storm67Category 4
Unnamed190722.2Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed190742.6Tropical storm63Tropical storm
Unnamed190663.9Tropical storm69Category 3
Unnamed190249.8Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed190147.1Tropical storm40Category 1
Unnamed190079.3Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed189886.5Category 299Category 4
Unnamed18984.1Tropical storm72Category 1
Unnamed18966.9Category 298Category 3
Unnamed189418.9Tropical storm72Category 3
Unnamed189431.3Category 192Category 3
Unnamed189370.9Category 3121Category 3
Unnamed18937.9Category 2101Category 3
Unnamed189319.7Tropical storm54Category 1
Unnamed188997.1Tropical storm44Category 1
Unnamed188878.2Tropical storm72Category 2
Unnamed188821.0Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed188637.5Tropical storm60Category 2
Unnamed188699.9Tropical storm48Category 2
Unnamed188535.0Tropical storm49Tropical storm
Unnamed188578.5Tropical storm54Category 1
Unnamed188561.2Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed188552.9Category 2104Category 2
Unnamed188247.5Tropical storm66Category 4
Unnamed188137.5Category 192Category 2
Unnamed188063.7Tropical storm66Category 1
Unnamed187860.6Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed187846.9Category 192Category 2
Unnamed187760.7Tropical storm46Category 3
Unnamed187776.1Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed187444.5Category 184Category 1
Unnamed187311.8Tropical storm60Category 1
Unnamed187395.4Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed187115.8Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed187188.0Tropical storm69Category 1
Unnamed187142.6Tropical storm69Category 3
Unnamed186850.8Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed186781.6Category 181Category 1
Unnamed186025.0Tropical storm46Category 3
Unnamed185653.1Tropical storm58Category 3
Unnamed185410.1Category 186Category 3
Unnamed185375.6Category 192Category 2
Unnamed185232.8Tropical storm61Category 2
Unnamed185276.4Tropical storm46Category 3
Unnamed185168.9Tropical storm61Category 3
  1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Wildfire and smoke

26 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.

Largest

March 27, 1994

Unnamed Fire, 3,466 acres

15.3 miles from the city centre.

Most recent

March 22, 2016

Barrows Fire

1,472 acres in total.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 1985: 4,0811987: 9341988: 5141994: 9,8511999: 3,8772000: 1,0072004: 9,7582006: 5972007: 6382008: 1,3182009: 8502012: 5432016: 1,472 35,440 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Barrows201610.01,472
Unnamed20127.7543
Unnamed200915.5850
Unnamed200817.81,318
Unnamed200722.6638
Sar Impoundment 4 5 Rx200610.0597
Unnamed20048.92,881
Unnamed20047.81,052
Unnamed200418.2730
Unnamed200415.12,541
Unnamed200414.62,554
Unnamed200017.61,007
Unnamed199920.71,948
Unnamed199919.8902
Unnamed199920.51,027
Unnamed199415.33,466
Unnamed199417.01,018
Unnamed199420.8641
Unnamed199420.31,288
Unnamed19948.92,545
Unnamed199413.0893
East Marsh N198810.3514
Pool 12 13198711.6934
Unnamed198518.7775
Unnamed19852.1974
Unnamed198518.72,332
  1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 32 days

Heavy smoke on 5 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

7.9 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

6 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 21 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 12 2012: 2 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 1 2016: 0 2017: 2 2018: 3 2019: 3 2020: 1 2021: 11 2022: 14 2023: 32 32 2024: 7 2025: 6 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

77 federal flood insurance claims since 1990, with $1.1 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Effingham County, the county that contains Rincon.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1995: 6 1998: 5 2016: 5 2019: 5 2020: 6 2024: 32 32 19952024
Claims per year since 1990. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2024: 32 claims

$802,000 paid.

2nd most

1995: 6 claims

$69,000 paid.

3rd most

2020: 6 claims

$25,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
3132623$212,000
3130217$408,000
3130714$332,000
3131212$47,000
313298$118,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood6
  • Flood5
  • Heavy Rain1

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Effingham County, the county that contains Rincon.

Most severe crest

August 26, 1995

Ebenezer Creek at Springfield, 17.80 ft

0.80 feet above the 17.0 ft flood stage; minor flooding by today’s categories.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Aug 26, 1995Ebenezer Creek at Springfield17.80+0.80Minor
Aug 7, 2024Ebenezer Creek at Springfield17.28+0.28Minor
Aug 26, 1991Ebenezer Creek at Springfield16.57−0.43Action
Sep 12, 2017Ebenezer Creek at Springfield16.10−0.90Action
Mar 6, 2020Ebenezer Creek at Springfield15.74−1.26Below flood stage
Oct 9, 2016Ebenezer Creek at Springfield15.69−1.31Below flood stage
Jan 13, 1993Ebenezer Creek at Springfield15.63−1.37Below flood stage
Jun 13, 2019Ebenezer Creek at Springfield15.52−1.48Below flood stage
Jan 23, 2017Ebenezer Creek at Springfield15.12−1.88Below flood stage
Mar 28, 2005Ebenezer Creek at Springfield14.99−2.01Below flood stage

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Ebenezer Creek at Springfield17.017.80 ftAug 26, 19950
  1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 111 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.

The drought index is for Effingham County, the county that contains Rincon.

111

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

42

Months in extreme drought

7%

Share of all months, severe or worse

23

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

January 2012

−5.73, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

17 months

August 2006 to December 2007.

Latest month

September 2026

−5.06, extreme drought

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 3 1926: 0 1927: 1 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 0 1931: 4 1932: 5 1933: 0 1934: 0 1935: 6 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 6 1955: 1 1956: 0 1957: 1 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 0 1964: 0 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 1 1981: 3 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 6 1986: 1 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 3 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 6 2001: 8 2002: 9 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 5 2007: 12 12 2008: 4 2009: 0 2010: 1 2011: 10 2012: 7 2013: 1 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes

1 earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.1 in 1903.

0

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

1

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

January 23, 1903

Magnitude 4.1

Near Savannah, Georgia; 15.7 miles away.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

June 19, 1912

Magnitude 3.5

Near Savannah, Georgia; 24.6 miles away.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

Earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
Jan 23, 19034.115.7—Near Savannah, Georgia
  1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
  2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Severe weather and other events

592 events in the National Weather Service record for Effingham County, 557 of them since 1996.

70

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

4

Hail, 2 inches or larger

324

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

10

Winter weather events since 1996

5

Heat events since 1996

2

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

May 7, 2006

2.75 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

June 14, 2023

81 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning1903Jul 10, 2025

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Mar 15, 2008Tornado$3.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    An EF2 Tornado was confirmed by a Storm Survey conducted by the Charleston, South Carolina National Weather Service Forecast Office. The Tornado touched down in Effingham county 3.5 miles northeast of Rincon, Georgia and just northwest of the Georgia Power McIntosh Plant around 944 PM EDT and traveled southeast approximately a half a mile before lifting at 945 PM EDT. This Tornado destroyed a water cooling tower, damaged another water cooling tower and several buildings, toppled two high voltage transmission towers, knocked down or uprooted several dozen trees, tossed tractor trailer cargo containers with equipment inside up to 100 yards. In addition, at the time of the survey one…

  2. Mar 15, 2008Tornado$1.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    An EF2 Tornado was confirmed by a Storm Survey conducted by the Charleston, South Carolina National Weather Service Forecast Office. The Tornado touched down in Effingham county 1 mile northeast of Springfield, Georgia at 934 PM EDT and traveled southeast approximately 7 miles before lifting at 943 PM EDT about 6 miles east-southeast of Springfield, Georgia. This Tornado destroyed three mobile homes, damaged three to four dozen homes, knocked down 15 high voltage transmission towers, destroyed or damaged 20 vehicles, destroyed numerous outbuildings, sheds, and barns. Five people were injured when the mobile home they were in was blown over and rolled a time or two. Another person…

  3. May 14, 2006Hail$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Car dealership estimates near 1 million dollars of damage from golf ball hail.

  4. Apr 9, 1998Tornado$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    The Bryan County tornado crossed the county line and weakened as it moved into a less populated area. Once the tornado moved east of GA State Road 17, it lifted. There were no further reports of damage or touchdowns from the parent supercell until the F1 touchdown reported just west of Hardeeville, S.C., which is approximately 12 miles from the last report of damage in Effingham County, Georgia. There were 40 homes damaged along GA 17, about 5 miles south of Guyton. Six of these were mobile homes that were destroyed. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped off 10 to 15 feet above the ground.

  5. Apr 5, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$263,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    An emergency manager reported 25 houses in the Rincon, Georgia area sustained minimal to moderate roof and siding damage. Five cars were also damaged by falling trees.

  6. Mar 24, 2009Wildfire, Effingham$250,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    During a prescribed burn the fire spotted over a road, so a head fire was set against that thinking it would contain it. The fire blew up when the main fire met with the head fire, causing the fire to get hot and spot over another road onto private land. The total acreage burned by this entire fire was 130.80 acres. The number of acres burned outside of the prescribed burn area totaled 45.80 acres.

  7. Aug 6, 2024Flash Flood$100,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    An Effingham County emergency manager reported around 10 roads washed out across the county. The washed out roads were listed at the following locations: 1100 Block of Arnsdorff Lane, Springfield-Egypt Road and Tarver Pond Drive, Turkey Branch Road, Lorenzo Hurst Road, Old Louisville Road and Riverside Drive, Herbert Kessler Road and Blue Jay Road, Corinth Church Road. The 300 Block of South Ash Street was also damaged with the roadbed completely washed out.

  8. Jul 9, 2017Lightning$50,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Effingham County dispatch reported 2 homes struck by lightning in Rincon. One house became fully engulfed and the other resulted in no major damage.

  9. May 11, 2008Lightning$25,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Lightning struck a house starting it on fire in Guyton, Georgia.

  10. Jun 15, 2010Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    An Emergency Manager reported two 3 feet diameter oak trees knocked down on Corinth Church Road. The Emergency Manager also reported tree limbs down and a small portable shop overturned on Old Dixie highway. The Emergency Manager also reported that an anchored oil tank was overturned and a roof was torn off a barn on Bird Road.

  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Savannah International Airport, 11.4 miles from the city centre, with records from 1948.

All-time high
105°FJul 20, 1986
All-time low
3°FJan 21, 1985
Warmest night
83°FJul 24, 1983
Coldest day
22°FDec 23, 1989
Wettest day
8.94 inOct 7, 2016
Snowiest day
3.6 inFeb 8, 1968
Hottest year
2020mean 70.4°F
Coldest year
1969mean 64.4°F
Wettest year
196473.17 in
Driest year
200131.64 in
Snowiest season
3.6 in1967-68
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Savannah International Airport 32°F 62° 39° 2.8 Jan 66° 43° 2.8 Feb 72° 49° 3.3 Mar 79° 55° 3.1 Apr 85° 63° 3.8 May 90° 70° 6.1 Jun 92° 74° 5.6 Jul 91° 73° 5.4 Aug 87° 69° 4.2 Sep 79° 58° 2.9 Oct 71° 48° 2.2 Nov 64° 43° 3.3 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Days reaching 95°F per year 1976: 6 1977: 31 1978: 19 1979: 15 1980: 31 1981: 42 1982: 5 1983: 27 1984: 14 1985: 19 1986: 65 65 1987: 34 1988: 28 1989: 24 1990: 36 1991: 20 1992: 19 1993: 48 1994: 8 1995: 26 1996: 12 1997: 4 1998: 33 1999: 22 2000: 24 2001: 4 2002: 19 2003: 4 2004: 7 2005: 18 2006: 26 2007: 23 2008: 20 2009: 12 2010: 40 2011: 51 2012: 20 2013: 4 2014: 21 2015: 25 2016: 45 2017: 24 2018: 14 2019: 49 2020: 32 2021: 4 2022: 17 2023: 26 2024: 23 2025: 16 19761986199620062016
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 21.3.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 2.0 in 1977: 0.0 in 1978: 0.0 in 1979: 0.0 in 1980: 0.0 in 1981: 0.0 in 1982: 0.0 in 1983: 0.0 in 1984: 0.0 in 1985: 1.4 in 1986: 0.0 in 1987: 0.0 in 1988: 1.0 in 1989: 3.6 in 3.6 1990: 0.0 in 1991: 0.0 in 1992: 0.2 in 1993: 0.0 in 1994: 0.0 in 1995: 0.2 in 1996: 0.0 in 1997: 0.0 in 1998: 0.0 in 1999: 0.0 in 2000: 0.0 in 2001: 0.0 in 2002: 0.0 in 2003: 0.0 in 2004: 0.0 in 2005: 0.0 in 2006: 0.0 in 2007: 0.0 in 2008: 0.0 in 2009: 0.9 in 2010: 0.0 in 2011: 0.0 in 2012: 0.0 in 2013: 0.0 in 2014: 0.0 in 2015: 0.0 in 2016: 0.0 in 2017: 1.2 in 2018: 0.0 in 2019: 0.0 in 2020: 0.0 in 2021: 0.0 in 2022: 0.0 in 2023: 0.0 in 2024: 1.1 in 2025: 0.5 in 19761986199620062016
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

February 4

Earliest: December 22, 1989

Median last snow

February 8

Latest: March 13, 1993

65 of 78 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Savannah International Airport (USW00003822), 29 ft elevation, 11.4 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 27, 2026; 100.0% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

17 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Helene, September 30, 2024.

Declarations for Effingham County.

Federal disaster declarations
Sep 30, 2024HurricaneHurricane HeleneMajor disasterDR-4830-GA
Sep 26, 2024Tropical StormHurricane HeleneEmergencyEM-3616-GA
Sep 24, 2024Tropical StormTropical Storm DebbyMajor disasterDR-4821-GA
Aug 5, 2024Tropical StormHurricane DebbyEmergencyEM-3607-GA
Mar 29, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4501-GA
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3464-GA
Sep 1, 2019HurricaneHurricane DorianEmergencyEM-3422-GA
Oct 10, 2018HurricaneHurricane MichaelEmergencyEM-3406-GA
Sep 15, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaMajor disasterDR-4338-GA
Sep 8, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaEmergencyEM-3387-GA
Oct 8, 2016HurricaneHurricane MatthewMajor disasterDR-4284-GA
Oct 6, 2016HurricaneHurricane MatthewEmergencyEM-3379-GA
Sep 5, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3218-GA
Mar 11, 1998Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1209-GA
Oct 19, 1994Severe StormHeavy Rains, Tornados, Flooding, High WindsMajor disasterDR-1042-GA
Mar 15, 1993SnowstormSevere Snowfall, Winter StormEmergencyEM-3097-GA
Jul 20, 1977DroughtDroughtEmergencyEM-3044-GA

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00003822.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.