Your nature year
Altoona, Pennsylvaniathrough the year
Also for State College, PA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Altoona?
Expect about 179 frost-free days in Altoona: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 25, the first fall one around Oct 21, going by NOAA's Altoona 3 W station 3.6 miles away. At some 1,162 feet up, Altoona is on higher ground than most towns in the region. Leaves usually come out around Apr 4 and the first flowers around May 4. About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. We follow 28 places within 150 miles of Altoona; the nearest lies 32 miles to the northeast. The closest place we follow is Black Moshannon State Park, 32 miles away, for fall foliage, usually well under way by late October (statewide). Catoctin Mountain (80 mi) is the pick for wildflowers, Apr 1–May 31 (local timing). Across Pennsylvania, fall color is usually well under way by late 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)
Altoona's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 25 to ~Oct 21
- First leaf ~Apr 4
- First bloom ~May 4
- Fall color under way ~Oct 25 (PA)
- Today
Near Altoona right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in PennsylvaniaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Oct 21 · last spring frost around Apr 25NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Altoona 3 W (3.6 mi, 50% dates)~3 weeks
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 135 mi · Local timing: May 21–Sep 30Wildflowers · in its window now
- Fall foliage · Black Moshannon State Park · 32 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
Altoona's nature year
- Cherry blossoms · Baltimore (Fort McHenry)Mar–Apr
- Wildflowers · Catoctin MountainApr–May
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostApr
- Tulips · Washington, DCApr
- Fall color (PA)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Cherry blossoms
- Baltimore (Fort McHenry) · 128 miusually Mar 24–Apr 7~6 months
- Washington, DC · 134 miusually Mar 25–Apr 7~6 months
- US National Arboretum · 134 miusually Mar 1–Apr 30~5 months
Fall foliage
- Black Moshannon State Park · 32 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
- Laurel Highlands · 49 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
- Bald Eagle State Park · 53 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
Tulips
- Washington, DC · 134 miLocal timing: Apr 1–20~6 months
Wildflowers
- Catoctin Mountain · 80 miLocal timing: Apr 1–May 31~6 months
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 135 miLocal timing: May 21–Sep 30
- Shenandoah · 138 miLocal timing: Mar 21–Jun 30~6 months
Snow in Altoona
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 1 (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 Altoona 3 W (3.6 mi away): 38 inches of snow in an average year, about 12.8 days with 1 inch or more.
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 25
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 21
About 179 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 4
First bloom around May 4
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Altoona 3 W (3.6 mi from Altoona), 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 Altoona?
On average around Oct 21, and the last spring frost around Apr 25: about 179 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Altoona 3 W, 3.6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Altoona?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 4 and first bloom around May 4, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see cherry blossoms near Altoona?
Baltimore (Fort McHenry), 128 miles (usually Mar 24–Apr 7); Washington, DC, 134 miles (usually Mar 25–Apr 7); US National Arboretum, 134 miles (usually Mar 1–Apr 30). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see fall foliage near Altoona?
Black Moshannon State Park, 32 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October); Laurel Highlands, 49 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October); Bald Eagle State Park, 53 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Altoona?
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 1: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Altoona 3 W. An average year brings 38 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)