Updated Sep 26 · USA-NPN Spring Index
Spring green-upnational map 2026
When does spring arrive in the US?
On average (1991–2020), spring's first leaves reach Florida first, around Jan 15, and Idaho last, around May 6, where most people in each state live. Spring 2026 is complete. First leaf reached Louisiana first (Jan 11) and North Dakota last (Apr 24). Compared with the 1991–2020 average, it came early in 38 of 49 states and late in 6.
Updated Sep 26. 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)
Next season
~4 months
109 days, to Jan 15 2027
until the first leaves: Florida, around Jan 15 on average (1991–2020).
USA-NPN Spring Index
First leaf 2026, state by state
- Alabama: first leaf Feb 13, 6 days late (average Feb 7)
- Arkansas: first leaf Feb 14, 7 days early (average Feb 21)
- Arizona: first leaf Jan 19, 4 days early (average Jan 23)
- California: first leaf Jan 30, on time (average Jan 30)
- Colorado: first leaf Mar 16, 22 days early (average Apr 7)
- Connecticut: first leaf Apr 1, 5 days early (average Apr 6)
- District of Columbia: first leaf Mar 10, 2 days late (average Mar 8)
- Delaware: first leaf Mar 13, 3 days early (average Mar 16)
- Florida: first leaf Jan 12, 3 days early (average Jan 15)
- Georgia: first leaf Feb 15, 6 days late (average Feb 9)
- Iowa: first leaf Mar 25, 14 days early (average Apr 8)
- Idaho: first leaf Apr 22, 14 days early (average May 6)
- Illinois: first leaf Mar 19, 16 days early (average Apr 4)
- Indiana: first leaf Mar 10, 19 days early (average Mar 29)
- Kansas: first leaf Feb 24, 21 days early (average Mar 17)
- Kentucky: first leaf Mar 2, 8 days early (average Mar 10)
- Louisiana: first leaf Jan 11, 15 days early (average Jan 26)
- Massachusetts: first leaf Apr 3, 5 days early (average Apr 8)
- Maryland: first leaf Mar 12, 5 days early (average Mar 17)
- Maine: first leaf Apr 16, 5 days early (average Apr 21)
- Michigan: first leaf Apr 1, 10 days early (average Apr 11)
- Minnesota: first leaf Apr 11, 6 days early (average Apr 17)
- Missouri: first leaf Mar 1, 14 days early (average Mar 15)
- Mississippi: first leaf Feb 11, 6 days late (average Feb 5)
- Montana: first leaf Apr 7, 22 days early (average Apr 29)
- North Carolina: first leaf Feb 22, 4 days late (average Feb 18)
- North Dakota: first leaf Apr 24, on time (average Apr 24)
- Nebraska: first leaf Mar 18, 13 days early (average Mar 31)
- New Hampshire: first leaf Apr 11, 5 days early (average Apr 16)
- New Jersey: first leaf Mar 22, 2 days early (average Mar 24)
- New Mexico: first leaf Mar 1, 21 days early (average Mar 22)
- Nevada: first leaf Feb 6, 23 days early (average Mar 1)
- New York: first leaf Apr 2, 8 days early (average Apr 10)
- Ohio: first leaf Mar 15, 18 days early (average Apr 2)
- Oklahoma: first leaf Feb 12, 11 days early (average Feb 23)
- Oregon: first leaf Feb 6, 20 days early (average Feb 26)
- Pennsylvania: first leaf Mar 22, 10 days early (average Apr 1)
- Rhode Island: first leaf Apr 2, on time (average Apr 2)
- South Carolina: first leaf Feb 15, 8 days late (average Feb 7)
- South Dakota: first leaf Mar 24, 18 days early (average Apr 11)
- Tennessee: first leaf Feb 21, 4 days early (average Feb 25)
- Texas: first leaf Jan 30, on time (average Jan 29)
- Utah: first leaf Mar 16, 12 days early (average Mar 28)
- Virginia: first leaf Mar 7, on time (average Mar 6)
- Vermont: first leaf Apr 16, 10 days early (average Apr 26)
- Washington: first leaf Apr 9, 8 days early (average Apr 17)
- Wisconsin: first leaf Apr 10, 6 days early (average Apr 16)
- West Virginia: first leaf Mar 9, 9 days early (average Mar 18)
- Wyoming: first leaf Mar 25, 32 days early (average Apr 26)
- Earlier than average
- Within a day of average
- Later than average
First leaf in 2026 at each state's center of population, compared with the 1991–2020 average. USA-NPN Spring Index (lilacs and honeysuckles), read Sep 26.
State by state
Earliest first leaf first · compared with 1991–2020
| State | First leaf | vs. average | First bloom | vs. average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | First leaf Jan 11 | 15 days early | First bloom Feb 15 | 6 days early |
| Florida | First leaf Jan 12 | 3 days early | First bloom Feb 3 | 2 days late |
| Arizona | First leaf Jan 19 | 4 days early | First bloom Feb 5 | 8 days early |
| California | First leaf Jan 30 | on time | First bloom Feb 26 | on time |
| Texas | First leaf Jan 30 | on time | First bloom Feb 21 | 5 days early |
| Nevada | First leaf Feb 6 | 23 days early | First bloom Mar 17 | 24 days early |
| Oregon | First leaf Feb 6 | 20 days early | First bloom Apr 8 | 13 days early |
| Mississippi | First leaf Feb 11 | 6 days late | First bloom Mar 4 | 4 days early |
| Oklahoma | First leaf Feb 12 | 11 days early | First bloom Mar 9 | 18 days early |
| Alabama | First leaf Feb 13 | 6 days late | First bloom Mar 6 | 4 days early |
| Arkansas | First leaf Feb 14 | 7 days early | First bloom Mar 8 | 18 days early |
| Georgia | First leaf Feb 15 | 6 days late | First bloom Mar 7 | 6 days early |
| South Carolina | First leaf Feb 15 | 8 days late | First bloom Mar 8 | 3 days early |
| Tennessee | First leaf Feb 21 | 4 days early | First bloom Mar 17 | 15 days early |
| North Carolina | First leaf Feb 22 | 4 days late | First bloom Mar 17 | 9 days early |
| Kansas | First leaf Feb 24 | 21 days early | First bloom Mar 27 | 21 days early |
| Missouri | First leaf Mar 1 | 14 days early | First bloom Mar 27 | 19 days early |
| New Mexico | First leaf Mar 1 | 21 days early | First bloom Mar 30 | 31 days early |
| Kentucky | First leaf Mar 2 | 8 days early | First bloom Mar 28 | 14 days early |
| Virginia | First leaf Mar 7 | on time | First bloom Mar 31 | 10 days early |
| West Virginia | First leaf Mar 9 | 9 days early | First bloom Apr 6 | 14 days early |
| District of Columbia | First leaf Mar 10 | 2 days late | First bloom Apr 3 | 9 days early |
| Indiana | First leaf Mar 10 | 19 days early | First bloom Apr 12 | 16 days early |
| Maryland | First leaf Mar 12 | 5 days early | First bloom Apr 7 | 12 days early |
| Delaware | First leaf Mar 13 | 3 days early | First bloom Apr 11 | 7 days early |
| Ohio | First leaf Mar 15 | 18 days early | First bloom Apr 17 | 15 days early |
| Colorado | First leaf Mar 16 | 22 days early | First bloom Apr 19 | 32 days early |
| Utah | First leaf Mar 16 | 12 days early | First bloom Apr 9 | 25 days early |
| Nebraska | First leaf Mar 18 | 13 days early | First bloom Apr 18 | 13 days early |
| Illinois | First leaf Mar 19 | 16 days early | First bloom Apr 16 | 16 days early |
| New Jersey | First leaf Mar 22 | 2 days early | First bloom Apr 16 | 9 days early |
| Pennsylvania | First leaf Mar 22 | 10 days early | First bloom Apr 16 | 13 days early |
| South Dakota | First leaf Mar 24 | 18 days early | First bloom May 8 | 4 days early |
| Iowa | First leaf Mar 25 | 14 days early | First bloom Apr 23 | 13 days early |
| Wyoming | First leaf Mar 25 | 32 days early | First bloom May 24 | 8 days early |
| Connecticut | First leaf Apr 1 | 5 days early | First bloom Apr 30 | 5 days early |
| Michigan | First leaf Apr 1 | 10 days early | First bloom Apr 28 | 13 days early |
| New York | First leaf Apr 2 | 8 days early | First bloom Apr 30 | 8 days early |
| Rhode Island | First leaf Apr 2 | on time | First bloom May 1 | 2 days early |
| Massachusetts | First leaf Apr 3 | 5 days early | First bloom May 4 | 3 days early |
| Montana | First leaf Apr 7 | 22 days early | First bloom Jun 1 | 5 days early |
| Washington | First leaf Apr 9 | 8 days early | First bloom May 23 | 9 days early |
| Wisconsin | First leaf Apr 10 | 6 days early | First bloom May 8 | 6 days early |
| Minnesota | First leaf Apr 11 | 6 days early | First bloom May 14 | on time |
| New Hampshire | First leaf Apr 11 | 5 days early | First bloom May 10 | 4 days early |
| Maine | First leaf Apr 16 | 5 days early | First bloom May 18 | on time |
| Vermont | First leaf Apr 16 | 10 days early | First bloom May 19 | 7 days early |
| Idaho | First leaf Apr 22 | 14 days early | First bloom Jun 2 | 12 days early |
| North Dakota | First leaf Apr 24 | on time | First bloom May 26 | 4 days late |
Questions people ask
What is the spring index?
A model from the USA National Phenology Network that estimates when the first leaves and first flowers appear, from daily temperatures, using lilacs and honeysuckles as indicator plants. It's a good guide to when spring arrives where you are.
How early was spring 2026?
In the middle state, first leaf came 8 days early compared with 1991–2020. The most unusual was Wyoming: 32 days early.
Why one point per state?
Each state's values are read at its center of population (2020 Census), so they describe spring where most people live. Mountains and the far north of a state leaf out later.
How we know
Dated and linked
- Sep 26Phenology modelFirst leaf and first bloom dates for 2026, with the 1991–2020 averagesSource (opens USA National Phenology Network, Extended Spring Index (first leaf, first bloom) in a new tab)
- Sep 26ReferenceThe point in each state where the spring index is readSource (opens US Census Bureau, 2020 state centers of population in a new tab)