Your nature year
Aurora, Illinoisthrough the year
Also for Naperville, IL, Joliet, IL, Elgin, IL, Bolingbrook, IL, Orland Park, IL, Wheaton, IL, Downers Grove, IL, Plainfield, IL, Romeoville, IL, Oswego, IL, Woodridge, IL, St. Charles, IL, Glen Ellyn, IL, New Lenox, IL, Lockport, IL, Batavia, IL, Yorkville, IL, West Chicago, IL: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Aurora?
The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 7 and first bloom around May 5. Aurora usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 19 and its first fall frost around Oct 23, a frost-free stretch of about 187 days at the nearest NOAA station, Aurora Water.
Statewide, Illinois' fall color is usually well under way by late October. Within 150 miles we follow 3 places, out to Emiquon Refuge 137 miles to the southwest. For a day trip, Indiana Dunes is 64 miles off; its fall foliage is usually at its best around mid-October. For wildflowers, the nearest is Indiana Dunes (64 mi, Most years, the wildflowers peak from late April through mid-May (usually)).
Updated Sep 29. 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)
Near Aurora right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in IllinoisStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Oct 23 · last spring frost around Apr 19NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Aurora Water (1.5 mi, 50% dates)~3 weeks
- Fall foliage · Indiana Dunes · 64 miusually around mid-October~11 days
Your guide around Aurora
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Indiana Dunes · 64 miusually around mid-October~11 days
Wildflowers
- Indiana Dunes · 64 miUsually: Most years, the wildflowers peak from late April through mid-May~7 months
Winter wildlife
- Chautauqua Refuge · 131 miUsually: Migration typically peaks in November~5 weeks
- Emiquon Refuge · 137 miUsually: migration typically peaks in November~5 weeks
Aurora's nature year
- Wildflowers · Indiana DunesApr–May
- Apr: Spring green-upApr
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Oct: Fall color (IL)Oct
- Oct: First fall frostOct
- Nov: Winter wildlife · Chautauqua RefugeNov
Aurora's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 19 to ~Oct 23
- First leaf ~Apr 7
- First bloom ~May 5
- Fall color under way ~Oct 27 (IL)
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 19
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 23
About 187 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 7
First bloom around May 5
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Aurora Water (1.5 mi from Aurora), 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 Aurora
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 7 (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 Aurora Water (1.5 mi away): 28 inches of snow in an average year, about 10.8 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.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Aurora?
On average around Oct 23, and the last spring frost around Apr 19: about 187 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Aurora Water, 1.5 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Aurora?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 7 and first bloom around May 5, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Aurora?
Indiana Dunes, 64 miles (usually around mid-October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Aurora?
Indiana Dunes, 64 miles (usually: Most years, the wildflowers peak from late April through mid-May). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Aurora?
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 7: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Aurora Water. An average year brings 28 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 29)