Your nature year
Baltimore, Marylandthrough the year
Also for Annapolis, MD: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Baltimore?
For a day trip, Baltimore (Fort McHenry) is 2 miles off; its cherry blossoms is usually at its best Mar 24–Apr 7. For fall foliage, the nearest is Patuxent Research Refuge (21 mi, usually Oct 21–31). Baltimore sits close to sea level, at about 37 feet. Frost usually lets go around Mar 24 and comes back around Nov 21, according to the nearest NOAA station, Maryland Sci Ctr: roughly 242 days without it. Spring takes about 5 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Leaves usually come out around Mar 10 and the first flowers around Apr 14. Within 150 miles we follow 22 places, out to Hyner View State Park 150 miles to the north. Statewide, Maryland's 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)
Baltimore's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Mar 24 to ~Nov 21
- First leaf ~Mar 10
- First bloom ~Apr 14
- Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (MD)
- Today
Near Baltimore right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in MarylandStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Nov 21 · last spring frost around Mar 24NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Maryland Sci Ctr (1.3 mi, 50% dates)~8 weeks
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 32 mi · Local timing: May 21–Sep 30Wildflowers · in its window now
- Fall foliage · Patuxent Research Refuge · 21 miusually Oct 21–31~3 weeks
Baltimore's nature year
- Cherry blossoms · Baltimore (Fort McHenry)Mar–Apr
- Spring green-upMar
- Last spring frostMar
- Tulips · Washington, DCApr
- Wildflowers · Kenilworth Aquatic GardensNowMay–Sep
- Fall color (MD)Oct
- First fall frostNov
Nearby, season by season
Cherry blossoms
- Baltimore (Fort McHenry) · 2 miusually Mar 24–Apr 7~6 months
- US National Arboretum · 33 miusually Mar 1–Apr 30~5 months
- Washington, DC · 37 miusually Mar 25–Apr 7~6 months
Fall foliage
- Patuxent Research Refuge · 21 miusually Oct 21–31~3 weeks
- Catoctin Mountain · 48 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~4 weeks
- Gambrill State Park · 49 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~4 weeks
Tulips
- Washington, DC · 37 miLocal timing: Apr 1–20~6 months
Wildflowers
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 32 miLocal timing: May 21–Sep 30
- Catoctin Mountain · 48 miLocal timing: Apr 1–May 31~6 months
- Bombay Hook · 61 miLocal timing: Apr 1–May 31~6 months
Snow in Baltimore
Snow usually becomes possible around Jan 24 (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 Baltimore-Washington International Airport (9.6 mi away): 19 inches of snow in an average year, about 4.6 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
Mar 24
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Nov 21
About 242 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 10
First bloom around Apr 14
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Maryland Sci Ctr (1.3 mi from Baltimore), 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 Baltimore?
On average around Nov 21, and the last spring frost around Mar 24: about 242 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Maryland Sci Ctr, 1.3 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Baltimore?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 10 and first bloom around Apr 14, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see cherry blossoms near Baltimore?
Baltimore (Fort McHenry), 2 miles (usually Mar 24–Apr 7); US National Arboretum, 33 miles (usually Mar 1–Apr 30); Washington, DC, 37 miles (usually Mar 25–Apr 7). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see fall foliage near Baltimore?
Patuxent Research Refuge, 21 miles (usually Oct 21–31); Catoctin Mountain, 48 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October); Gambrill State Park, 49 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Baltimore?
Snow usually becomes possible around Jan 24: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. An average year brings 19 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)