BlockThunderbolt, Georgia
17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1942 and the latest in 1981. It stands in the Savannah census division. It lies in ZIP code area 31404. It stands on Grays Creek. The Survey maps it on the Savannah quadrangle. 2,556 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 20 feet above sea level.
On record in Thunderbolt
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register within a mile 2 records
The National Register names another town for these. They stand within one mile of this settlement's coordinate.
Bonaventure Cemeterylisted 2001 · 0.7 miles away
Hill Hall at Savannah State Collegelisted 1981 · 0.8 miles away
Population over time
2 figuresThunderbolt fell from 2,668 to 2,556 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2,668 | |
| 2020 | 2,556 | -112 (-4%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
9 surveys from 17 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1942 USGS Savannah quadrangle1:62500
- 1947 USGS Savannah quadrangle1:250000
- 1948 USGS Savannah quadrangle1:250000
- 1955 USGS Savannah quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
- 1957 USGS Savannah quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1960 USGS Savannah quadrangle1:250000
- 1961 USGS Savannah quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1978 USGS Savannah quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
- 1981 USGS Savannah quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
65 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 65 fires within 5 miles of Thunderbolt between 1992 and 2016, burning about 204 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 20 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Arson/incendiarism | 20 |
| Debris and open burning | 13 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 8 |
| Smoking | 8 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 7 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 5 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 2 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1 |
| Natural | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 September 1999 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
| 20 September 2005 | Recreation and ceremony | under an acre | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
| 2 September 1999 | Smoking | under an acre | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
| 1 September 2006 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
| 3 August 2016 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | FY2017-CHATHAM-002 |
| 25 August 2016 | Arson/incendiarism | 2.0 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | FY2017-CHATHAM-004 |
| 26 July 1993 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
| 15 July 1993 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
3 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 3 workings within 5 miles of Thunderbolt: 1 producer, 1 past producer, 1 plant. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Gypsum-Anhydrite, Titanium, Pigment. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Sand Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Flintkote/ Savannah, Ga. | Gypsum-Anhydrite | Past Producer | ||
| Savannah Plant Ti | Titanium, Pigment | Plant | 1955 |
Storms near this place
47 since 1997Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Thunderbolt in 47 storm reports between 1997 and 2025: 24 thunderstorm wind, 14 hail, 2 tornado, 2 funnel cloud. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2006 | Tornado (F1) | Thunderbolt | $500,000 | NWS damage survey confirms tornado touchdown 1.5 miles south of Riverside at 115 PM. The tornado lifted and touched down a couple of times before finally lifting about 1 mile south of Riverside at 117 PM. The tornado occurred in the Bradley Point subdivision. The tornado snapped off huge oak trees and large branches. 15 to 20 homes and several vehicles were damaged by the falling trees and limbs. The path length was about 1/2 mile with a maximum width of 175 yards. The tornado was rated F1 with winds estimated in the 100 to 110 mph range. |
| July 2020 | Lightning | Thunderbolt | $20,000 | The media reported a fire at the Hammocks View apartment complex on Whitemarsh Island, which likely began from a lightning strike. |
| July 2018 | Lightning | Thunderbolt | $5,000 | Savannah Fire Department reported an attic fire due to a lightning strike on East 60th Street. |
| July 2011 | Flash Flood | Thunderbolt | $5,000 | The Public reported numerous yards flooded in Whitemarsh Island, Georgia. Water was reported to be 2 to 3 feet deep on area roadways, making them impassable and resulting in several flooded vehicles. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $3,000 | A trained weather spotter reported trees down near Memorial Hospital in downtown Savannah. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $3,000 | A trained spotter reported 9 inch diameter tree limbs down with one limb down on a car. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $2,750 | The public reported 1 large pine tree down along with numerous branches and power lines down. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $2,000 | Broadcast media relayed a report of a plum tree uprooted in a yard and a small storage shed destroyed by fallen trees. |
| February 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $1,500 | The general public reported power lines down in Thunderbolt, Georgia. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $1,250 | The Chatham county warning point reported a power line down on the east side of Savannah, Georgia. |
| September 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $1,000 | Chatham County Emergency Management reported a tree down at 3012 Young Avenue. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $1,000 | The Chatham County Emergency Management Agency reported power lines down at the intersection of Waters Avenue and East Waldburg Street. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $1,000 | The Chatham county Emergency Manager reported a tree down on a power line at the intersection of Waters Avenue and 70th Street. Numerous power outages and small hail were also reported. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | $250 | The public reported a 10 foot long and 8 inch diameter limb off a Long Sweet Gum tree was knocked down at their residence in Savannah, Georgia. |
| August 2025 | Flash Flood | Thunderbolt | - | Emergency management reported Paulsen Street closed between 60th Street and 63rd Street and a stalled vehicle in the area due to flooding. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | Chatham County Emergency Management Agency reported a tree down on a power line near Thunderbolt. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | Chatham County Emergency Management Agency reported a tree down and blocking access to a church in Savannah. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | A Chatham County emergency manager reported a tree down on Northgate Road. |
| April 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | An emergency manager reported a tree down on a vehicle near the 2200 Block of East Victory Drive. |
| December 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | A Chatham County emergency manager reported a tree down on a home in the 2200 Block of Pecan Drive. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | The Chatham County 911 Call Center reported a tree down at the intersection of River Drive and Tuberson Avenue. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | An emergency manager reported multiple trees down and over a dozen large branches down within the Oatland Island Wildlife Center. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | Chatham County Emergency Management reported a tree down on a house near the intersection of Robertson Avenue and Falligant Avenue. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | Chatham County Emergency Management reported a tree blown down on a house. |
| April 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | A tree was down on a house. |
| April 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | A large gas station awning covering gas pumps was blown down on Waters Avenue. |
| June 2011 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | A trained spotter reported penny size hail. |
| March 2011 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | A trained weather spotter reported golf ball size hail in Thunderbolt, Georgia. |
| March 2011 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | The Public reported nickel size hail in Thunderbolt, Georgia. |
| March 2011 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | The Public reported quarter size hail and numerous small branches down, 1 mile southwest of Riverside, Georgia. |
| March 2011 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | The Public reported quarter size hail in Thunderbolt, Georgia. |
| June 2011 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | A spotter reported dime to penny size hail. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | A trained spotter reported large branches down and 6 inch drawbridge gate broken on the Island Expressway. |
| August 2011 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | The public reported quarter size hail in Thunderbolt. |
| May 2009 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | The public reported nickel size hail 3 miles northeast of Thunderbolt, Georgia. |
| May 2008 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | Broadcast media relayed a report of penny size hail in Thunderbolt, Georgia. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | A trained weather spotter reported nickel to quarter size hail between thunderbolt and Woodmarsh Island. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | Quarter size hail lasting 5 minutes in duration was reported on Woodmarsh Island. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | Penny size hail lasting 10 minutes in duration was reported on Woodmarsh Island, near Savannah, Georgia. |
| July 2007 | Funnel Cloud | Thunderbolt | - | Several reports of funnel clouds were received in the vicinity of Thunderbolt. |
| July 2007 | Funnel Cloud | Thunderbolt | - | Several reports of funnel clouds were received in the vicinity of Thunderbolt. |
| September 2004 | Tornado (F1) | Thunderbolt | - | A tornado knocked down trees and power lines and destroyed a fence. The tornado tracked into Jasper county South Carolina before dissipating. |
| June 2001 | Waterspout | Thunderbolt | - | Waterspout appeared to be moving ashore but dissipated before coming ashore. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | U.S. Coast Guard experienced wind gust to 60 mph on Tybee Island. |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Thunderbolt | - | Several trees down. |
| August 2002 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | no account filed |
| July 1997 | Hail | Thunderbolt | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camellia Terrace | 0.6 miles | 17 | |
| Isle of Armstrong | 0.6 miles | 17 | |
| Fernwood | 0.8 miles | 17 | |
| Bonaventure (historical) | 0.8 miles | 17 | |
| Parkwood | 0.8 miles | 17 | |
| Sunset Park | 0.9 miles | 17 | |
| Victory Heights | 0.9 miles | 17 | |
| Green Acres | 1.0 miles | 17 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Thunderbolt | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q774537 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 333226. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.