Is it hot at Forsyth Park?

Forsyth Park in high summer: tree canopy, open lawns, and Savannah heat

Summer afternoons in Savannah are hot and heavy, with July highs pushing to about 92°F and June and September not far behind. What makes Forsyth Park worth the visit in that heat is its canopy. This is a genuine park, not an open plaza, and the live oaks that line its paths cast deep, continuous shade for much of the day. The trick is knowing which parts of the 30-acre green stay cool and which parts bake.

Shade under the oaks, sun on the grass

The shaded parts of Forsyth Park are the tree-lined walkways and the benches beneath the oak canopy; the hot spots are the open lawns and the paved area around the fountain, where there is nothing overhead. On a July afternoon the sun stands about 67 degrees high at 3 PM and sits to the west-southwest, near a bearing of 247 degrees. That means the eastern edges of tree stands and building lines throw their shadow toward the northeast as the day goes on. Stay on the tree-covered paths and you can cross most of the park in shade; step onto the central lawn for a photo and you are fully exposed.

Timing your visit around the heat

With sunrise near 6:28 AM and sunset around 8:31 PM, Savannah gives you a long day, and the middle of it is the part to avoid. The heat and the sun are both at their worst from roughly noon to 4 PM. A few practical habits help:

• Come in the morning or after 5 PM, when the light is lower and the canopy shade stretches further.
• Carry water; Savannah's humidity makes 92°F feel considerably hotter, and shade cuts the sun but not the mugginess.
• Use the perimeter paths rather than the open center when the sun is high.

The heat breaks noticeably in the shoulder seasons. April and October afternoons sit in the mid-70s to low 80s, which turns a walk through Forsyth Park into an easy one rather than a sweaty one. If you have flexibility, those months are the sweet spot.

Where the fountain fits in

The park's fountain is the obvious gathering point and the most photographed spot in Savannah, but the plaza around it is open pavement with full sun overhead most of the afternoon. Enjoy it early or late, then retreat to the oaks. The difference between standing in the sun by the fountain and sitting on a shaded bench 50 feet away is real on a high-summer day.

To see exactly where the tree lines and canopy will throw shade at the hour you plan to arrive, check the satellite shadow view for Forsyth Park before you go.