Your nature year
Austin, Texasthrough the year
Also for Round Rock, TX, Leander, TX, Cedar Park, TX, Pflugerville, TX, Kyle, TX, Hutto, TX: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Austin?
Leaves usually come out around Jan 26 and the first flowers around Feb 22. About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here.
At the Austin-Camp Mabry weather station (1.6 mi), the average first fall frost is Dec 3 and the last spring frost Feb 20, which leaves Austin some 286 growing days. For a day trip, LBJ National Historical Park is 39 miles off; its texas bluebonnets is March and April (local timing). For wildlife by season, the nearest is Attwater Prairie Chicken Refuge (99 mi, late February through early April (local timing)). Head west for the closest of the 3 places we follow around Austin.
Updated Sep 27. 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)
Austin's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Feb 20 to ~Dec 3
- First leaf ~Jan 26
- First bloom ~Feb 22
- Today
Near Austin right now
- First fall frost usually around Dec 3 · last spring frost around Feb 20NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Austin-Camp Mabry (1.6 mi, 50% dates)~2 months
- Winter wildlife · Aransas Refuge · 149 miLocal timing: typically arriving in late October and departing by mid-April~3 weeks
Austin's nature year
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Wildlife by season · Attwater Prairie Chicken RefugeFeb–Apr
- Feb: Last spring frostFeb
- Texas bluebonnets · LBJ National Historical ParkMar–Apr
- Winter wildlife · Aransas RefugeOct–Apr
- Dec: First fall frostDec
Nearby, season by season
Texas bluebonnets
- LBJ National Historical Park · 39 miLocal timing: March and April~5 months
Wildlife by season
- Attwater Prairie Chicken Refuge · 99 miLocal timing: late February through early April~5 months
Winter wildlife
- Aransas Refuge · 149 miLocal timing: typically arriving in late October and departing by mid-April~3 weeks
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Feb 20
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Dec 3
About 286 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 26
First bloom around Feb 22
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Austin-Camp Mabry (1.6 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 Dec 3, and the last spring frost around Feb 20: about 286 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Austin-Camp Mabry, 1.6 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 Jan 26 and first bloom around Feb 22, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see Texas bluebonnets near Austin?
LBJ National Historical Park, 39 miles (local timing: March and April). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildlife by season near Austin?
Attwater Prairie Chicken Refuge, 99 miles (local timing: late February through early April). Distances are straight-line.
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)