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Your nature year

Chattanooga, Tennesseethrough the year

Also for Cleveland, TN: the same nearby places.

When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Chattanooga?

For a day trip, DeSoto State Park is 41 miles off; its fall foliage is usually well under way by early November (statewide). For wildflowers, the nearest is Cherokee National Forest (68 mi, Mar 21–May 31 (local timing)). Chattanooga sits at about 689 feet. Chattanooga usually sees its last spring frost around Mar 24 and its first fall frost around Nov 9, a frost-free stretch of about 230 days at NOAA's Chattanooga Airport station, 3.5 miles away. Spring takes about 5 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Spring green-up reaches town around Feb 18, with first blooms around Mar 24. Within 150 miles we follow 10 places, out to Pisgah National Forest 145 miles to the east. Across Tennessee, 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)

Best this weekend nearby

Oct 3–Oct 4 · within 150 straight-line miles of Chattanooga
  1. Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee · 106 mi · Fall foliage

    Usually Oct 1–Nov 10

    Sat Oct 3: Chance Rain Showers, 75°F · Sun Oct 4: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, 70°F

    No report yet

Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service. 1 more nearby place has only regional or statewide timing, so it isn't listed.

Chattanooga's year at a glance

  • Frost possible
  • Frost-free, ~Mar 24 to ~Nov 9
  • First leaf ~Feb 18
  • First bloom ~Mar 24
  • Fall color under way ~Oct 21 (TN)
  • Today

Near Chattanooga right now

  • Fall color is usually well under way by late October in TennesseeStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast
    ~3 weeks
  • First fall frost usually around Nov 9 · last spring frost around Mar 24NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Chattanooga Airport (3.5 mi, 50% dates)
    ~6 weeks
  • Fall foliage · DeSoto State Park · 41 miStatewide: usually well under way by early November
    ~5 weeks

Chattanooga's nature year

From the town's own dates and its nearest places
  • Spring green-upFeb
  • Wildflowers · Cherokee National ForestMar–May
  • Last spring frostMar
  • Synchronous fireflies · Great Smoky MountainsMay–Jun
  • Fall color (TN)Oct
  • First fall frostNov

Nearby, season by season

Real places within 150 miles, straight-line

Fall foliage

Synchronous fireflies

Wildflowers

Frost and green-up

Last spring frost

Mar 24

Average (50% date)

First fall frost

Nov 9

About 230 days without frost between

Spring green-up

Feb 18

First bloom around Mar 24

Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Chattanooga Airport (3.5 mi from Chattanooga), 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 Chattanooga?

On average around Nov 9, and the last spring frost around Mar 24: about 230 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Chattanooga Airport, 3.5 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).

When does spring green-up reach Chattanooga?

The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 18 and first bloom around Mar 24, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.

Where can I see fall foliage near Chattanooga?

DeSoto State Park, 41 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early November); Little River Canyon, 51 miles (usually Oct 21–Nov 10); Cherokee National Forest, 68 miles (usually Oct 11–Nov 10). Distances are straight-line.

Where can I see synchronous fireflies near Chattanooga?

Great Smoky Mountains, 106 miles (usually May 21–Jun 10). 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) · USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)

All our sources and how we use them →