Your nature year
Cape Girardeau, Missourithrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Cape Girardeau?
Leaves usually come out around Mar 7 and the first flowers around Apr 8. About 5 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here.
At NOAA's Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport station, 5.9 miles away, the average first fall frost is Oct 25 and the last spring frost Apr 5, which leaves Cape Girardeau some 203 growing days. For a day trip, Shawnee National Forest is 68 miles off; its fall foliage is usually well under way by late October (statewide). For winter wildlife, the nearest is Tennessee Refuge (104 mi, early January (local timing)). Head east for the closest of the 2 places we follow around Cape Girardeau.
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)
Cape Girardeau's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 5 to ~Oct 25
- First leaf ~Mar 7
- First bloom ~Apr 8
- Today
Near Cape Girardeau right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 25 · last spring frost around Apr 5NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport (5.9 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Fall foliage · Shawnee National Forest · 68 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~4 weeks
Cape Girardeau's nature year
- Jan: Winter wildlife · Tennessee RefugeJan
- Mar: Spring green-upMar
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Oct: First fall frostOct
- Oct: Fall foliage · Shawnee National ForestOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Shawnee National Forest · 68 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~4 weeks
Winter wildlife
- Tennessee Refuge · 104 miLocal timing: early January~3 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 5
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 25
About 203 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 7
First bloom around Apr 8
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport (5.9 mi from Cape Girardeau), 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 Cape Girardeau?
On average around Oct 25, and the last spring frost around Apr 5: about 203 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport, 5.9 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Cape Girardeau?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 7 and first bloom around Apr 8, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Cape Girardeau?
Shawnee National Forest, 68 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see winter wildlife near Cape Girardeau?
Tennessee Refuge, 104 miles (local timing: early January). 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)