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Your nature year

Amherst Town, Massachusettsthrough the year

Also for Northampton, MA: the same nearby places.

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

Head east for the closest of the 34 places we follow around Amherst Town. The closest place we follow is Assabet River Refuge, 53 miles away, for fall foliage, usually at its best mid-October.

For fall & winter wildlife, the nearest is Great Meadows Refuge (58 mi, November (local timing)). Amherst Town usually sees its last spring frost around May 5 and its first fall frost around Oct 8, a frost-free stretch of about 156 days at NOAA's Amherst station, 2.2 miles away. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 11 and first bloom around May 10. Across Massachusetts, fall color is usually well under way by mid-October.

Checked against 3 official sources · How we check →

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)

Beyond Amherst Town: Massachusetts all-year guide →

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Near Amherst Town right now

  • Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in MassachusettsStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast
    ~2 weeks
  • First fall frost usually around Oct 8 · last spring frost around May 5NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Amherst (2.2 mi, 50% dates)
    ~5 days
  • In season nearby: Fall foliage1 place in its usual window now, listed below
    In season
  • Fall & winter wildlife · next season nearby · 58 miLocal timing: November
    ~4 weeks

Your guide around Amherst Town

The nearest places we cover; each one is listed below
Assabet River RefugeGreat Meadows RefugeFairsted (Olmsted NHS)
  • Pin color, each place's season now or next:
  • Spring
  • Fall
  • Winter
Map: approximate positions; state lines US Census.

Places near Amherst Town

Nearest first · within 150 straight-line miles; roads are longer
Show all 11 places

Amherst Town's nature year

The town's own frost and green-up, its state's fall week and its nearest place per season; usual months, not a forecast
MonthWhat to see
March
April
May
June–September
October
November

Amherst Town's year at a glance

  • Frost possible
  • Frost-free, ~May 5 to ~Oct 8
  • First leaf ~Apr 11
  • First bloom ~May 10
  • Fall color under way ~Oct 18 (MA)
  • Today

Frost and green-up

Last spring frost

May 5

Average (50% date)

First fall frost

Oct 8

About 156 days without frost between

Spring green-up

Apr 11

First bloom around May 10

Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Amherst (2.2 mi from Amherst Town), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.

Snow in Amherst Town

NOAA 1991–2020 daily normals

Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 8 (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 Amherst (2.2 mi away): 37 inches of snow in an average year, about 12.2 days with 1 inch or more.

0%10%20%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.

Around Amherst Town

In season first, then nearest; straight-line miles
  • Aerial view of Woodstock village, its green and the Ottauquechee River with fall color on the hills behind

    Woodstock

    Fall color in Vermont

    87 mi away

    First color: Reported Sep 30

  • An old stone wall under yellow and orange trees, with a red-brown meadow and fallen leaves

    Weir Farm

    Fall color in Connecticut

    91 mi away

    Season: Mid-September to mid- to late October

Questions people ask

When is the first frost in Amherst Town?

On average around Oct 8, and the last spring frost around May 5: about 156 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Amherst, 2.2 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).

When does spring green-up reach Amherst Town?

The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 11 and first bloom around May 10, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.

Where can I see cherry blossoms near Amherst Town?

The nearest is Brooklyn Botanic Garden (139 miles). Brooklyn Botanic Garden: local timing: from late March or early April to mid-May. Distances are straight-line.

Where can I see fall foliage near Amherst Town?

The nearest are Assabet River Refuge (53 miles), Manchester (62 miles) and Fairsted (Olmsted NHS) (70 miles). Assabet River Refuge: usually mid-October. Manchester: statewide timing: the last week of September and first week of October. Fairsted (Olmsted NHS): usually mid-October. Distances are straight-line.

When does it start snowing in Amherst Town?

Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 8. That date is our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Amherst. An average year brings 37 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) (Oct 3)

All our sources and how we use them →