Wilmington Island, GA Tornado History — 56 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Wilmington Island, GA had?
Wilmington Island has had 56 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 strong to violent (EF3+) tornado.
When was the most recent tornado near Wilmington Island?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Wilmington Island was an EF0 on July 10, 2025.
When is tornado season in Wilmington Island?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Wilmington Island, with 13 on record. April through June account for 29 of the 56 tornadoes on record near Wilmington Island.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Wilmington Island
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 15 total, averaging 0.8 per year over this window.
What storm spotters reported near Wilmington Island
One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Wilmington Island and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on July 10, 2025 and the most recent on July 10, 2025. It is already counted in the Wilmington Island totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.
NWS storm survey team determined that an EF0 tornado occurred within the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge between 5:14 PM until 5:16 PM. The tornado had an estimated p (CHS)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Wilmington Island
6 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Wilmington Island since 1950, across 2 events. 76 injuries have been reported across all events. 1998 was the deadliest year on record near Wilmington Island.
The deadliest single event was an F2 on April 9, 1998, which caused 4 fatalities along a 24.5-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Wilmington Island
What the record shows near Wilmington Island
The 1960s were the busiest decade near Wilmington Island, with 10 of the 56 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 4 so far. The Wilmington Island record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Wilmington Island, 48 reached EF0 or EF1 and 7 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Wilmington Island is rated EF3, of which 1 is logged. A further 1 near Wilmington Island is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Wilmington Island has averaged 0.8 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 15 in total. 2016 was the busiest of them with 4, and 10 of those years passed with none at all.