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Year calendarwhat peaks when

What's in season each month in the US?

Desert superbloom from January to April, spring green-up from February to June, cherry blossoms from March to April, Texas bluebonnets from February to April, tulips from April to May, wildflowers from February to September, synchronous fireflies from May to June, lavender from June to August, fall foliage from September to December and first snow from October to January, at the places we track. September now: fall foliage at 27 places and wildflowers at 5 places. The busiest month is October (119 places in their usual window).

Updated Sep 28.

Month by month

Pick a month for its places
  1. January1 placeDesert superbloomWhat's in season in January →
  2. February5 placesDesert superbloomWildflowersTexas bluebonnetsWhat's in season in February →
  3. March23 placesWildflowersCherry blossomsDesert superbloomTexas bluebonnetsWhat's in season in March →
  4. April36 placesWildflowersCherry blossomsDesert superbloomTexas bluebonnetsTulipsWhat's in season in April →
  5. May31 placesWildflowersSynchronous firefliesWhat's in season in May →
  6. June21 placesWildflowersSynchronous firefliesWhat's in season in June →
  7. July21 placesWildflowersLavenderWhat's in season in July →
  8. August18 placesWildflowersLavenderWhat's in season in August →
  9. This monthSeptember32 placesFall foliageWildflowersWhat's in season in September →
  10. October119 placesFall foliageWhat's in season in October →
  11. November13 placesFall foliageWhat's in season in November →
  12. December1 placeFall foliageWhat's in season in December →

The year's shape

Places in their usual window, by month

Every tracker's places: desert superbloom 4 · spring green-up 0 · cherry blossoms 13 · texas bluebonnets 7 · tulips 8 · wildflowers 42 · synchronous fireflies 2 · lavender 1 · fall foliage 155 · first snow 0.

Questions people ask

What's in season in September?

Fall foliage: Guanella Pass (regional timing Sep 1–30), Katahdin Woods and Waters (local timing Sep 1–Oct 15), Mount Rainier (local timing Sep 1–30), Rocky Mountain (local timing Sep 1–Oct 31) and 23 more. Each place page has this year's dates.

What's in season in October?

Fall foliage: Katahdin Woods and Waters (local timing Sep 1–Oct 15), Rocky Mountain (local timing Sep 1–Oct 31), Valles Caldera (local timing Sep 1–Nov 30), Yellowstone (local timing Sep 1–Oct 31) and 115 more. Each place page has this year's dates.

Where can I see wildflowers in spring?

Earliest first: Joshua Tree (desert superbloom, Jan 1–Apr 20), Death Valley (desert superbloom, Feb 11–Apr 10), Pinnacles (Mar 1–May 31), Carrizo Plain (desert superbloom, Mar 21–Apr 10), Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee (Apr 11–30), Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina (Apr 21–May 10), Turnbull Refuge (May 11–20), Craters of the Moon (Jun 1–30), Escudilla Mountain (Jul 1–Aug 31), Mount Rainier (Jul 21–Aug 10).

When do the leaves start changing?

Of the places we track, San Juan Skyway usually turns first (Sep 11–Oct 20) and Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas last (Nov 21–Dec 10). Higher ground turns first. In the Great Smoky Mountains, color can start as early as mid-September at the highest elevations, develops above 4,000 feet from early to mid-October, and reaches the lower and middle slopes between mid-October and early November.Source: National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains fall color ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Was spring early this year?

In the middle state, first leaf came 8 days early compared with 1991–2020. The most unusual was Wyoming: 32 days early. The national spring map has every state.Sources: USA National Phenology Network, Extended Spring Index (first leaf, first bloom) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Census Bureau, 2020 state centers of population ↗ (opens in a new tab)