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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Port Wentworth, GA

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated

100 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Port Wentworth, Georgia since 1851, 21 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 74 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
21

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
79

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
74

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
2

8 deaths in all

What the records show for Port Wentworth

The strongest storm to pass near Port Wentworth was Gracie in 1959, a Category 4 hurricane with 132 mph winds when its centre passed 41 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1940, whose centre crossed the city. The record near Port Wentworth begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Debby in 2024, a tropical storm 12 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 11 systems, 3 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 100 systems, 15 have come since 2000. Port Wentworth has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 96% of the 405 Georgia cities on this site. The strongest of the 74 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF4 on April 5, 2022; its path came within 15 miles, and it killed 1 person. The deadliest, an F2 on April 9, 1998, killed 4 people. Of the 74, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 34 have come since 2000. The most recent tornado was on July 10, 2025. Of the 405 Georgia cities, 62% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Port Wentworth. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 117 times since 1957, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Port Wentworth has more hail reports within 10 miles than 84% of the 405 Georgia cities.

Compare Port Wentworth's storm record with another city →

Tropical storms and hurricanes near Port Wentworth

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Port Wentworth, Georgia, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2024DebbyAug 612 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
2023IdaliaAug 3017 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 4
2022ColinJul 143 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2021ElsaJul 854 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 1
2021DannyJun 2840 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2020EtaNov 1262 miTropical storm (44 mph)Category 4
2019NestorOct 2069 miTropical storm (45 mph)Tropical storm
2016MatthewOct 839 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 5
2016JuliaSep 1437 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2016HermineSep 214 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 1
2016ColinJun 744 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
2013AndreaJun 77 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2012BerylMay 3045 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
2007BarryJun 311 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
2002KyleOct 1137 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1998EarlSep 347 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 2
1996JosephineOct 89 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1995AllisonJun 641 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1988ChrisAug 2813 miTropical storm (45 mph)Tropical storm
1985KateNov 2230 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 3
1985BobJul 2539 miCategory 1 (74 mph)Category 1
1984IsidoreSep 2971 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1982Unnamed 1982 stormJun 1873 miTropical storm (69 mph)Tropical storm
1981DennisAug 1961 miTropical storm (49 mph)Category 1
1979DavidSep 42 miCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 5
1976Unnamed 1976 stormSep 1420 miTropical storm (45 mph)Tropical storm
1976DottieAug 2069 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1976Unnamed 1976 stormMay 2452 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1970AlmaMay 2513 miTropical storm (44 mph)Category 1
1968AbbyJun 749 miTropical storm (39 mph)Category 1
1966AlmaJun 105 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1964DoraSep 1328 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 4
1964CleoAug 2917 miTropical storm (51 mph)Category 4
1960BrendaJul 2915 miTropical storm (66 mph)Tropical storm
1959GracieSep 2941 miCategory 4 (132 mph)Category 4
1957Unnamed 1957 stormJun 920 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1956FlossySep 2645 miTropical storm (47 mph)Category 1
1954Unnamed 1954 stormJul 1027 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1953FlorenceSep 279 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1952AbleAug 3135 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 2
1947Unnamed 1947 stormOct 1525 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1947Unnamed 1947 stormSep 248 miTropical storm (47 mph)Tropical storm
1946Unnamed 1946 stormOct 835 miTropical storm (59 mph)Category 2
1945Unnamed 1945 stormSep 1717 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 4
1944Unnamed 1944 stormOct 205 miTropical storm (59 mph)Category 4
1941Unnamed 1941 stormOct 836 miTropical storm (45 mph)Category 3
1940Unnamed 1940 stormAug 11overheadCategory 1 (81 mph)Category 2
1935Unnamed 1935 stormSep 557 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 5
1932Unnamed 1932 stormSep 1556 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1929Unnamed 1929 stormOct 159 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1928Unnamed 1928 stormSep 1831 miCategory 1 (86 mph)Category 5
1927Unnamed 1927 stormOct 351 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 3021 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 1
1924Unnamed 1924 stormSep 161 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1923Unnamed 1923 stormJun 2711 miTropical storm (39 mph)Tropical storm
1919Unnamed 1919 stormOct 166 miTropical storm (45 mph)Tropical storm
1916Unnamed 1916 stormOct 444 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm
1916Unnamed 1916 stormMay 1628 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1915Unnamed 1915 stormAug 361 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1912Unnamed 1912 stormJul 1560 miTropical storm (52 mph)Tropical storm
1911Unnamed 1911 stormAug 285 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 2
1910Unnamed 1910 stormOct 1933 miTropical storm (68 mph)Category 4
1907Unnamed 1907 stormSep 299 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1907Unnamed 1907 stormJun 2932 miTropical storm (62 mph)Tropical storm
1906Unnamed 1906 stormOct 2155 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1902Unnamed 1902 stormJun 1558 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1901Unnamed 1901 stormSep 1856 miTropical storm (40 mph)Category 1
1900Unnamed 1900 stormOct 1270 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1898Unnamed 1898 stormAug 317 miCategory 1 (77 mph)Category 1
1896Unnamed 1896 stormSep 293 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 3
1894Unnamed 1894 stormOct 925 miCategory 1 (74 mph)Category 3
1894Unnamed 1894 stormSep 2728 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormOct 1363 miCategory 3 (121 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormAug 281 miCategory 2 (102 mph)Category 3
1893Unnamed 1893 stormJun 1610 miTropical storm (53 mph)Category 1
1888Unnamed 1888 stormOct 1168 miCategory 1 (74 mph)Category 2
1888Unnamed 1888 stormSep 928 miTropical storm (41 mph)Tropical storm
1886Unnamed 1886 stormJul 146 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 2
1885Unnamed 1885 stormOct 1242 miTropical storm (51 mph)Tropical storm
1885Unnamed 1885 stormSep 2168 miTropical storm (53 mph)Category 1
1885Unnamed 1885 stormAug 3150 miTropical storm (46 mph)Tropical storm
1885Unnamed 1885 stormAug 2546 miCategory 2 (104 mph)Category 2
1884Unnamed 1884 stormSep 1122 miTropical storm (41 mph)Category 1
1882Unnamed 1882 stormOct 1138 miTropical storm (66 mph)Category 4
1881Unnamed 1881 stormAug 2829 miCategory 2 (98 mph)Category 2
1880Unnamed 1880 stormSep 852 miTropical storm (67 mph)Category 1
1878Unnamed 1878 stormOct 1150 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1878Unnamed 1878 stormSep 1242 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 2
1877Unnamed 1877 stormOct 469 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1877Unnamed 1877 stormSep 2167 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1874Unnamed 1874 stormSep 2836 miCategory 1 (85 mph)Category 1
1873Unnamed 1873 stormSep 192 miTropical storm (60 mph)Category 1
1871Unnamed 1871 stormOct 65 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1871Unnamed 1871 stormAug 1933 miTropical storm (69 mph)Category 3
1868Unnamed 1868 stormOct 540 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 1
1860Unnamed 1860 stormAug 1415 miTropical storm (46 mph)Category 3
1856Unnamed 1856 stormAug 3163 miTropical storm (59 mph)Category 3
1854Unnamed 1854 stormSep 911 miCategory 1 (90 mph)Category 3
1853Unnamed 1853 stormOct 2166 miCategory 1 (92 mph)Category 2
1852Unnamed 1852 stormOct 1042 miTropical storm (61 mph)Category 2

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Port Wentworth: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Port Wentworth

By decade

  • 2020s8(1 EF3+)
  • 2010s12
  • 2000s14
  • 1990s8(1 EF3+)
  • 1980s6
  • 1970s11
  • 1960s12
  • 1950s3
Strongest tornadoes near Port Wentworth, Georgia
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Apr 5, 2022EF415 mi14.39 mi1 / 12
Apr 9, 1998F39 mi8 mi2 / 17
Apr 9, 1998F218 mi24.5 mi4 / 31
May 23, 2017EF216 mi7.49 mi0 / 0
Feb 9, 2017EF216 mi9.81 mi0 / 7
Mar 15, 2008EF212 mi0.5 mi0 / 0
Mar 15, 2008EF215 mi7 mi0 / 5
May 23, 1980F210 mi1 mi0 / 2
May 3, 1975F223 mi5.4 mi0 / 2
Nov 9, 1973F213 mi1 mi0 / 0
Oct 27, 1972F217 mi1 mi0 / 0
May 25, 1970F221 mi2.5 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 74, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Port Wentworth

The Storm Prediction Center has 117 hail reports within 10 miles of Port Wentworth since 1957, made on 71 separate days. Of these, 69 were 1 inch across or larger, and 6 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on April 5, 1993. The most recent report is from May 29, 2025. May has the most reports, 36.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Radar-estimated hail days in Port Wentworth since 2019 →

Weather by month in Port Wentworth

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Savannah International Airport, GA, 3 miles southwest of Port Wentworth at 46 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 74°F; January is the coolest, at 61°F and 40°F. June is the wettest at 6.7 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.4 inches; the year adds up to 48.3 inches over 70 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 59% of the year's precipitation (28.5 of 48.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 100 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (30); a normal September there has highs of 86°F and 4.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 81 days a year, almost all from April to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 22 nights a year. That 48.3 inches is more than at 26 of the 108 Georgia stations used on this site (24%). Okatie, SC, 18 miles northeast, has its own station (Beaufort Mcas, SC): 45.1 inches a year, 3.2 less than here, and the same July average high, 92°F.

Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Fort Pulaski, GA, 18 miles southeast, averaged 85°F in July and 54°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from June to September. Sea level at the Fort Pulaski tide gauge, 18 miles from Port Wentworth, has risen 1.44 ± 0.05 inches per decade from 1935 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 14.4 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 88 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Savannah International Airport, GA
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Water °F
Jan61403.3654
Feb65432.8555
Mar71493.5561
Apr78553.4468
May85633.6575
Jun90716.7981
Jul92745.8985
Aug91735.5885
Sep86694.4781
Oct79593.7473
Nov70482.4465
Dec64433.2558
Year785748.37070

Averages for 1991–2020 at Savannah International Airport, GA (46 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Fort Pulaski, GA, from NOAA Tides & Currents. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.

Georgia weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Port Wentworth

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 490 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Port Wentworth: 393 thunderstorm wind reports, 65 flash floods, 28 lightning strikes, 3 heavy rain events and 1 flood. They killed 1 person and injured 19, and the NWS estimated $3.4 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 91 mph, on April 25, 2015. August has had the most flash floods, 24 of 65. Of the 392 Georgia cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 383 have had fewer than Port Wentworth.

  • May 17, 2005: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Port Wentworth — 1 killed, 1 injured.

  • June 10, 2013: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Port Wentworth — 7 injured, $11,000 damage.

  • July 12, 2010: lightning strike 5 miles from the centre of Port Wentworth — 4 injured.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.

Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings

Flood insurance policyholders in Port Wentworth's ZIP code 31407 have filed 64 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $591,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Flooding in 1994: 20 claims (31% of all) and $163,000. 39% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 154 Georgia cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 97 have fewer than Port Wentworth.

Flood insurance claims in Port Wentworth by named event
EventClaimsPaid
Flooding199420$163,000

Chatham County, which includes Port Wentworth, has been named in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 8 of them major disasters (by incident: 9 hurricanes, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 30, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Chatham County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes and coastal flooding; Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $276.7 million a year, the highest of 159 Georgia counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $189.0 million (68%), is from hurricanes.

Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. 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).

Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets 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).

What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.

Cities near Port Wentworth