October and November are the best weeks of the Savannah year, and late March to April is the most beautiful and the most expensive. October averages 79 °F (26 °C) with only 4.2 rain days, November is the driest month at 4.1, and the Atlantic is still 76 °F (24 °C) off Tybee in October. Avoid mid-March if crowds matter: the city has marked the Feast of Saint Patrick since 1824 and the parade fills every room. July and August bring 92 °F (34 °C), 8.5 rain days and the hurricane season. Start on Stay in Savannah.
At a glance
- Best months: October and November. Warm, dry, and past both the spring rush and the storm peak.
- Most beautiful: late March into April. Azaleas in the squares, 78 °F (26 °C) in April, and the year's highest demand.
- Cheapest and quietest: January and February, at 61 to 65 °F (16 to 18 °C) by day and 4.7 to 5.6 rain days.
- Hardest week to book: mid-March. The St. Patrick's Day parade is one of the largest in the United States.
- Rainy season: June to September, peaking at 6.7 inches (169 mm) in June and 8.5 rain days in June and July.
- Hurricane season: 1 June to 30 November, peaking 10 September (NOAA National Hurricane Center).
- Swimming at Tybee: May to October, when the Atlantic holds 75 °F (24 °C) or more, reaching 85 °F (29 °C) in July and August.
- Savannah drew 12.9 million visitors in 2025, spending about $4.1 billion (Visit Savannah and the Savannah Chamber).
Savannah. NOAA normals 1991-2020, sea from NOAA OISST 2016-2025, rain day = 0.1 in or more.
Understanding the climate: a subtropical city on a tidal river
Savannah sits at 32 degrees north on the Savannah River, 18 miles (29 km) inland from the Atlantic at Tybee Island. That geography explains most of the year. The city is humid subtropical: hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters, with no reliable freeze and no dry season in the way a desert has one.
Summer is the wet half. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Savannah give 6.7 inches (169 mm) of rain in June and 5.7 inches (146 mm) in July, against 2.4 inches (61 mm) in November. Those totals arrive in short, heavy afternoon thunderstorms rather than all-day rain, which is why 8.5 rain days in July still leaves most of the day usable.
The oak avenue at Wormsloe Historic Site, outside Savannah. Live oaks hold their leaves all year. Photo : Jami430, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Winter is genuinely mild. January averages 61 °F (16 °C) by day, and the live oaks do not drop their leaves. Overnight it cools sharply: 40 °F (4 °C) in January, a 21 degree swing that catches people who packed for Florida.
The island and the city keep different books. Tybee Island averages 87 °F (31 °C) in July against the city's 92 °F (34 °C), and 78 °F (26 °C) overnight against the city's 74 °F (23 °C). The ocean flattens the extremes in both directions. Those Tybee figures come from ERA5 reanalysis rather than a NOAA station, so the temperatures compare but the rain day counts do not.
Eighteen miles apart, and five to six degrees cooler on the sand in high summer.
Spring, March to May: the peak and the reason for it
Spring is when Savannah looks the way the photographs promise, and when it is hardest to book. Azaleas open in the squares from late March into April, the live oaks push new growth, and the air sits in the seventies.
April is the single best weather month: 78 °F (26 °C) by day, 55 °F (13 °C) at night, and 4.2 rain days, tied with October for the driest warm month of the year.
The fountain in Forsyth Park. April averages 78 °F (26 °C) and only 4.2 rain days. Photo : jjmusgrove, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
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Mid-March is a case apart. The Savannah Saint Patrick's Day Parade Committee records that the city's Irish Catholic community has marked the Feast of Saint Patrick since 1824, and parade day begins with Mass at 8 a.m. on 17 March. It is one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country. Hotel rooms in the historic district are taken months out and minimum stays apply.
River Street. The riverfront takes the weight of both the March parade and the December lighting. Illustration : Savannah, United States Travel Guide: Best Things to Do, Eat & See.
- Book March and April six months ahead, or accept a base outside the historic district.
- Sand gnats and other biting midges become active in spring; UGA Extension notes they pass through standard 16-mesh screens and that a fan on high keeps these weak fliers away.
- The Atlantic is still cold: 61 °F (16 °C) in March, 67 °F (20 °C) in April.
- May is the first swimmable month at 75 °F (24 °C) and the first properly hot one at 85 °F (29 °C).
Summer, June to September: hot, wet, and cheaper for a reason
Summer in Savannah is a trade. The city is at its emptiest and its least expensive, and it is genuinely hard going between noon and four.
July averages 92 °F (34 °C) with an overnight low of 74 °F (23 °C), which means the brick and stone never cool. June brings the most rain of the year at 6.7 inches (169 mm) across 8.5 rain days, and August is close behind at 5.5 inches (139 mm).
The pier at Tybee Island. The Atlantic reaches 85 °F (29 °C) in July and August. Photo : Mikefairbanks, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
The compensation is the water. The Atlantic off Tybee reaches 85 °F (29 °C) in July and August, and Tybee itself runs 5 to 6 degrees cooler by day than the city. Loggerhead sea turtles nest on the Georgia coast from late May to mid-August, and Georgia DNR asks beachfront properties to shield or redirect lights and to avoid flashlights and flash photography on the beach at night through the season. Nests take about eight weeks to hatch.
- Plan squares, cemeteries and walking tours for early morning or after 6 p.m.
- Afternoon thunderstorms are the normal shape of a summer day, not a washout.
- Hurricane season runs 1 June to 30 November and peaks on 10 September. Savannah sits in a recess of the coastline, which helps, but travel insurance in August and September is not paranoia.
- Sand gnats and biting midges are most active in summer and early fall, worst near creek beds and marsh.
Fall, October and November: the answer to the question
October and November are the two months where nothing is working against you. October averages 79 °F (26 °C) by day and 59 °F (15 °C) at night with 4.2 rain days. November is drier still at 4.1 rain days and 2.4 inches (61 mm), the least rain of any month.
Jones Street at Bull Street. October averages 79 °F (26 °C) and 4.2 rain days, the best walking weather of the year. Photo : Ken Lund, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The Atlantic is the late bonus. Tybee holds 76 °F (24 °C) in October, warmer than it manages in any month before June, so the beach still works while the city is comfortable for walking.
Tybee Island. The sea is still 76 °F (24 °C) in October, warmer than in any month before June. Illustration : Savannah, United States Travel Guide: Best Things to Do, Eat & See.
The storm risk falls away through the period. The National Hurricane Center's peak is 10 September, and the season closes on 30 November, so late October and November carry the tail rather than the center of the risk.
- Book the last two weeks of October early; they are the best-kept part of the Savannah year.
- Live oaks stay green, so the color here is in the light rather than the leaves.
- November nights fall to 48 °F (9 °C), which is jacket weather on a river walk.
Winter, December to February: the cheap, clear months
Winter is Savannah's low season and its most underrated. December averages 64 °F (18 °C) by day, January 61 °F (16 °C), February 65 °F (18 °C). Rain days sit at 5.4, 5.6 and 4.7, and there is no snow to plan around.
Chippewa Square. Winter is the season the squares are empty enough to have to yourself. Photo : Michael Rivera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
December has its own draw in the holiday lighting across the historic district and along the riverfront, with hotel demand concentrated into a few weeks and falling away sharply in January.
January and February are the genuine bargain. The city is walkable in daylight, tours run without queues, and the squares are empty enough to photograph. The trade is short days, cold nights at 40 °F (4 °C) and a sea at 56 °F (13 °C) that nobody is swimming in.
Bonaventure and Laurel Grove are at their quietest between January and February. Illustration : Savannah, United States Travel Guide: Best Things to Do, Eat & See.
- Pack layers: a 20 degree gap between afternoon and dawn is normal.
- Some Tybee businesses run reduced hours from January into February.
- February is the driest winter month at 4.7 rain days.
Savannah month by month
Average daily high and low in °F with °C in parentheses, sea temperature off Tybee, and rain at the Savannah / Hilton Head Airport station.
| Month | High / low | Sea | Rain in (mm) | Rain days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 61/40 (16/4) | 56 (13) | 3.3 (83) | 5.6 | Cheapest, coolest, quiet |
| February | 65/43 (18/6) | 56 (13) | 2.8 (71) | 4.7 | Quiet before the rush |
| March | 71/49 (22/9) | 61 (16) | 3.5 (89) | 5.0 | Parade, azaleas, packed |
| April | 78/55 (26/13) | 67 (20) | 3.4 (86) | 4.2 | Warm, busy, perfect |
| May | 85/63 (29/17) | 75 (24) | 3.6 (92) | 5.3 | Hot, sea swimmable |
| June | 90/71 (32/22) | 81 (27) | 6.7 (169) | 8.5 | Humid, storms begin |
| July | 92/74 (34/23) | 85 (29) | 5.7 (146) | 8.5 | Hottest, cheapest summer |
| August | 91/73 (33/23) | 85 (29) | 5.5 (139) | 8.4 | Hot, wet, storm watch |
| September | 86/69 (30/21) | 82 (28) | 4.3 (110) | 6.5 | Warm sea, storm risk |
| October | 79/59 (26/15) | 76 (24) | 3.7 (94) | 4.2 | Best all-round month |
| November | 70/48 (21/9) | 67 (20) | 2.4 (61) | 4.1 | Driest, clearest, calm |
| December | 64/43 (18/6) | 60 (15) | 3.2 (82) | 5.4 | Lights, cool, low rates |
Sources: air and rain from NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Savannah / Hilton Head Airport, station USW00003822. A rain day is a day with 0.1 in (2.5 mm) or more, the same definition for every row. Sea temperature from NOAA OISST off the Tybee coast, 2016-2025 monthly means. The Tybee Island air figures quoted elsewhere on this page come from ERA5 reanalysis and are not mixed into this table.
The best time for what you want to do
Walking the historic district
October, November, March and April. The 22 squares are a walking city, and the difference between 79 °F (26 °C) in October and 92 °F (34 °C) in July is the difference between a day out and an ordeal. Winter works too, in a coat.
The beach at Tybee
Late May to early October. The sea is at 75 °F (24 °C) or better from May, peaks at 85 °F (29 °C) in July and August, and is still 76 °F (24 °C) in October. Tybee also runs cooler than the city by day, which makes it the summer escape rather than an extra.
Tybee Island Light Station, 18 miles (29 km) from the historic district. Photo : XeresNelro, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Azaleas and gardens
Late March into April. The squares, Forsyth Park and the private gardens open at the same moment as peak demand. If you cannot move dates, book first and plan second.
Ghost tours and cemeteries
October and November, or January. Evening tours are comfortable at 59 °F (15 °C) October nights, and the winter months give you Bonaventure and Laurel Grove without a crowd.
Avoiding crowds
January, February and late summer. The city ran 12.9 million visitors in 2025 and they are not spread evenly. Mid-March, April and October weekends are the peaks; January weekdays are the floor.
Saving money
January and February first, August second. Winter is genuinely low season. August is cheap because it is hot and wet, which is a real trade rather than a bargain.
Events that shape the year
What fills the squares, from the March parade to the November calm.
- 17 March: St. Patrick's Day. Savannah has marked the Feast of Saint Patrick since 1824, and parade day starts with Mass at 8 a.m. It is the single busiest date on the calendar.
- Late March into April: azalea bloom in the squares and Forsyth Park.
- Late May to mid-August: loggerhead nesting on the Georgia coast, with lighting restrictions on the beach.
- 1 June to 30 November: Atlantic hurricane season, peaking 10 September.
- Late July to mid-October: sea turtle hatchlings, about eight weeks after each nest is laid.
- November: the driest month of the year, at 4.1 rain days.
- December: holiday lighting across the historic district and the riverfront.
Where to stay
The right base changes with the season. These are the properties on this site, matched to the months above:
- The Mansion on Forsyth Park: on the park itself, which is the argument for late March and April.
- Perry Lane Hotel: a rooftop pool, which matters between June and September.
- The Ballastone Inn: a historic inn a short walk from the squares, at its best in the quiet winter months.
- JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District: on the river, which is where December lighting and March parade traffic concentrate.
- Andaz Savannah: on Ellis Square and City Market, the closest base to the parade route.
- The DeSoto: a large historic-district hotel, which is the practical answer for peak March and October weekends.
- The Alida Savannah: riverfront, with the terrace that earns its keep from October to May.
More options by neighborhood in our guide to where to stay in Savannah.
FAQ
What is the best month to visit Savannah, GA?
October. It averages 79 °F (26 °C) by day, 59 °F (15 °C) at night and only 4.2 rain days, the hurricane peak of 10 September has passed, and the Atlantic off Tybee is still 76 °F (24 °C). April matches it on weather but costs more and is far busier because of the azaleas.
When not to visit Savannah, Georgia?
Mid-March if you dislike crowds, and July and August if you dislike heat. The St. Patrick's Day period fills the historic district completely. July averages 92 °F (34 °C) with a 74 °F (23 °C) overnight low and 8.5 rain days, and it sits inside the Atlantic hurricane season.
What is the rainy season in Savannah?
June to September. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals give Savannah 6.7 inches (169 mm) in June, 5.7 inches (146 mm) in July and 5.5 inches (139 mm) in August, against 2.4 inches (61 mm) in November. The rain arrives as short afternoon thunderstorms, so a rain day rarely means a lost day.
What is the cheapest time to visit Savannah?
January and February. They are the coolest months, at 61 to 65 °F (16 to 18 °C) by day, and they follow the December holiday lighting season when demand collapses. August is the second cheapest, for the opposite reason: 91 °F (33 °C), high humidity and the middle of hurricane season.
When is hurricane season in Savannah?
1 June to 30 November, peaking on 10 September, with most Atlantic activity between mid-August and mid-October, according to NOAA's National Hurricane Center. Savannah sits in a recess of the Georgia coastline, which reduces its direct-strike exposure compared with neighbours, but storm surge and rain bands still reach it.
When can you swim at Tybee Island?
May to October. The Atlantic off Tybee averages 75 °F (24 °C) in May, 85 °F (29 °C) in July and August, and 76 °F (24 °C) in October, according to NOAA OISST means for 2016 to 2025. It falls to 56 °F (13 °C) in January and February, which is wetsuit territory.
When do the azaleas bloom in Savannah?
Late March into April, in the squares, in Forsyth Park and in the private gardens of the historic district. That window overlaps with April's 78 °F (26 °C) days and 4.2 rain days, which is why spring is the city's most expensive season. The live oaks stay green year round.
How many days do you need in Savannah?
Three full days covers the historic district on foot, one cemetery, one river walk and an evening tour without rushing. Add a fourth for Tybee Island, 18 miles (29 km) away, which needs its own day between May and October when the sea is above 75 °F (24 °C).