Your nature year
Austin, Minnesotathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Austin?
The town is about 1,214 feet above sea level. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 16 and first bloom around May 13. About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Austin usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 30 and its first fall frost around Oct 5, a frost-free stretch of about 158 days at NOAA's Austin Waste Wtp Facility station, 1.3 miles away. For a day trip, Minnesota Valley Refuge is 81 miles off; its wildflowers is Jun 1–Aug 31 (local timing). For fall foliage, the nearest is Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul (87 mi, usually Sep 24–Oct 7). Head north for the closest of the 3 places we follow around Austin. Statewide, Minnesota's 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)
Best this weekend nearby
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 87 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Sep 24–Oct 7
Sat Oct 3: Mostly Sunny, 65°F · Sun Oct 4: Sunny, 61°F
No report yet
Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service.
Austin's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 30 to ~Oct 5
- First leaf ~Apr 16
- First bloom ~May 13
- Fall color under way ~Oct 11 (MN)
- Today
Near Austin right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in MinnesotaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~13 days
- First fall frost usually around Oct 5 · last spring frost around Apr 30NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Austin Waste Wtp Facility (1.3 mi, 50% dates)~7 days
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 87 mi · usually Sep 24–Oct 7Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley Refuge · 81 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Austin's nature year
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostApr
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley RefugeJun–Aug
- Fall color (MN)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 87 miusually Sep 24–Oct 7
- Saint Croix Riverway · 122 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
Wildflowers
- Minnesota Valley Refuge · 81 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Snow in Austin
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 20 (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 Austin Waste Wtp Facility (1.3 mi away): 43 inches of snow in an average year, about 14.7 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 30
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 5
About 158 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 16
First bloom around May 13
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Austin Waste Wtp Facility (1.3 mi from Austin), 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 Austin?
On average around Oct 5, and the last spring frost around Apr 30: about 158 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Austin Waste Wtp Facility, 1.3 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Austin?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 16 and first bloom around May 13, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Austin?
Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul, 87 miles (usually Sep 24–Oct 7); Saint Croix Riverway, 122 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Austin?
Minnesota Valley Refuge, 81 miles (local timing: Jun 1–Aug 31). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Austin?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 20: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Austin Waste Wtp Facility. An average year brings 43 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)