Your nature year
Boston, Massachusettsthrough the year
Also for Cambridge, MA, Brockton, MA, Lynn, MA, Quincy, MA, Newton, MA, Somerville, MA, Framingham, MA, Malden, MA, Waltham, MA, Revere, MA, Weymouth Town, MA, Medford, MA, Peabody, MA, Everett, MA, Salem, MA, Woburn, MA, Beverly, MA, Chelsea, MA, Braintree Town, MA, Watertown, MA, Randolph Town, MA, Melrose, MA, Lowell, MA, Manchester, NH, Nashua, NH, Lawrence, MA, Haverhill, MA, Methuen, MA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Boston?
Boston usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 4 and its first fall frost around Nov 9, a frost-free stretch of about 219 days at the Boston weather station (1.6 mi). Boston sits close to sea level, at about 9 feet. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 2 and first bloom around May 4. About 5 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. We follow 14 places within 150 miles of Boston; the nearest lies 23 miles to the west. Assabet River Refuge, 23 miles from Boston, is the nearest fall foliage spot on this site, usually at its best Oct 11–20. Statewide, Massachusetts' 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)
Boston's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 4 to ~Nov 9
- First leaf ~Apr 2
- First bloom ~May 4
- Fall color under way ~Oct 18 (MA)
- Today
Near Boston right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in MassachusettsStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~3 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Nov 9 · last spring frost around Apr 4NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Boston (1.6 mi, 50% dates)~6 weeks
- Fall foliage · Assabet River Refuge · 23 miusually Oct 11–20~13 days
Boston's nature year
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostApr
- Fall color (MA)Oct
- First fall frostNov
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Assabet River Refuge · 23 miusually Oct 11–20~13 days
- Parker River Refuge · 35 miLocal timing: Oct 11–31~13 days
- Great Bay Refuge · 51 miLocal timing: Oct 11–20~13 days
Snow in Boston
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 6 (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 Boston (1.6 mi away): 49 inches of snow in an average year, about 11.1 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 4
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Nov 9
About 219 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 2
First bloom around May 4
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Boston (1.6 mi from Boston), 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 Boston?
On average around Nov 9, and the last spring frost around Apr 4: about 219 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Boston, 1.6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Boston?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 2 and first bloom around May 4, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Boston?
Assabet River Refuge, 23 miles (usually Oct 11–20); Parker River Refuge, 35 miles (local timing: Oct 11–31); Great Bay Refuge, 51 miles (local timing: Oct 11–20). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Boston?
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 6: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Boston. An average year brings 49 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)