Your nature year
Charleston, West Virginiathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Charleston?
We follow 4 places within 150 miles of Charleston; the nearest lies 77 miles to the north. Ohio River Islands Refuge, 77 miles from Charleston, is the nearest fall foliage spot on this site, usually at its best Oct 11–20. For wildflowers, the nearest is Daniel Boone National Forest (102 mi, Mar 21–Apr 30 (local timing)). Frost usually lets go around Apr 16 and comes back around Oct 26, according to the nearest NOAA station, Charleston - Yeager Airport: roughly 193 days without it. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Mar 12 and first bloom around Apr 14.
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)
Charleston's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 16 to ~Oct 26
- First leaf ~Mar 12
- First bloom ~Apr 14
- Today
Near Charleston right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 26 · last spring frost around Apr 16NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Charleston - Yeager Airport (3.1 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Fall foliage · Ohio River Islands Refuge · 77 miusually Oct 11–20~13 days
Charleston's nature year
- Wildflowers · Daniel Boone National ForestMar–Apr
- Spring green-upMar
- Last spring frostApr
- First fall frostOct
- Fall foliage · Ohio River Islands RefugeOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Ohio River Islands Refuge · 77 miusually Oct 11–20~13 days
- Daniel Boone National Forest · 102 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
- George Washington and Jefferson · 116 miusually Oct 11–31~13 days
Wildflowers
- Daniel Boone National Forest · 102 miLocal timing: Mar 21–Apr 30~6 months
- George Washington and Jefferson · 116 miLocal timing: Mar 21–May 31~6 months
Snow in Charleston
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 1 (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 Charleston - Yeager Airport (3.1 mi away): 32 inches of snow in an average year, about 9.6 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
Apr 16
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 26
About 193 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 12
First bloom around Apr 14
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Charleston - Yeager Airport (3.1 mi from Charleston), 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 Charleston?
On average around Oct 26, and the last spring frost around Apr 16: about 193 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Charleston - Yeager Airport, 3.1 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Charleston?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 12 and first bloom around Apr 14, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Charleston?
Ohio River Islands Refuge, 77 miles (usually Oct 11–20); Daniel Boone National Forest, 102 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October); George Washington and Jefferson, 116 miles (usually Oct 11–31). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Charleston?
Daniel Boone National Forest, 102 miles (local timing: Mar 21–Apr 30); George Washington and Jefferson, 116 miles (local timing: Mar 21–May 31). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Charleston?
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 1: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Charleston - Yeager Airport. An average year brings 32 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)