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Your nature year

Albany, New Yorkthrough the year

Also for Schenectady, NY, Troy, NY, Poughkeepsie, NY: the same nearby places.

When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Albany?

Head north for the closest of the 17 places we follow around Albany. For a day trip, Saratoga Springs is 29 miles off; its fall foliage is usually well under way by mid-October (statewide). At the nearest NOAA station, Albany International Airport, the average first fall frost is Oct 15 and the last spring frost Apr 27, which leaves Albany some 171 growing days. Leaves usually come out around Apr 10 and the first flowers around May 8. At some 225 feet up, Albany is on low ground. Across New York, fall color is usually well under way by mid-October.

Updated Sep 28. Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Albany's year at a glance

  • Frost possible
  • Frost-free, ~Apr 27 to ~Oct 15
  • First leaf ~Apr 10
  • First bloom ~May 8
  • Fall color under way ~Oct 20 (NY)
  • Today

Near Albany right now

  • Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in New YorkStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast
    ~3 weeks
  • First fall frost usually around Oct 15 · last spring frost around Apr 27NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Albany International Airport (5.6 mi, 50% dates)
    ~2 weeks
  • Fall foliage · Saratoga Springs · 29 miStatewide: usually well under way by mid-October
    ~3 weeks

Albany's nature year

From the town's own dates and its nearest places
  • Spring green-upApr
  • Last spring frostApr
  • Fall color (NY)Oct
  • First fall frostOct

Nearby, season by season

Real places within 150 miles, straight-line

Fall foliage

  • Saratoga Springs · 29 miStatewide: usually well under way by mid-October
    ~3 weeks
  • North-South Lake · 35 miStatewide: usually well under way by mid-October
    ~3 weeks
  • Lake George · 53 miStatewide: usually well under way by mid-October
    ~3 weeks

Snow in Albany

NOAA 1991–2020 daily normals

Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 19 (our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%). NOAA's normals at Albany Nwfo Univ (2.5 mi away): 56 inches of snow in an average year, about 14.2 days with 1 inch or more.

0%20%40%10% lineOctDecFebApr

NOAA's chance of at least 0.1 inch of snow on each date (one value per week, September to May), averaged over 1991–2020. A typical year, not a forecast.

Frost and green-up

Last spring frost

Apr 27

Average (50% date)

First fall frost

Oct 15

About 171 days without frost between

Spring green-up

Apr 10

First bloom around May 8

Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Albany International Airport (5.6 mi from Albany), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.

Questions people ask

When is the first frost in Albany?

On average around Oct 15, and the last spring frost around Apr 27: about 171 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Albany International Airport, 5.6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).

When does spring green-up reach Albany?

The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 10 and first bloom around May 8, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.

Where can I see fall foliage near Albany?

Saratoga Springs, 29 miles (statewide: usually well under way by mid-October); North-South Lake, 35 miles (statewide: usually well under way by mid-October); Lake George, 53 miles (statewide: usually well under way by mid-October). Distances are straight-line.

When does it start snowing in Albany?

Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 19: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Albany Nwfo Univ. An average year brings 56 inches (NOAA 1991–2020). A typical year, not a forecast.Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal snowfall) ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (daily snowfall probabilities) ↗ (opens in a new tab)

How we know

US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, Spring Index 1991–2020 averages (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)

All our sources and how we use them →