Your nature year
Cleveland, Tennesseethrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Cleveland?
Cherokee National Forest, 45 miles from Cleveland, is the nearest fall foliage spot on this site, usually at its best Oct 11–Nov 10. For wildflowers, the nearest is Cherokee National Forest (45 mi, Mar 21–May 31 (local timing)).
At some 823 feet up, Cleveland is on low ground. Frost usually lets go around Apr 6 and comes back around Oct 30, according to the Cleveland Fltr Plt weather station (5.2 mi): roughly 207 days without it. Spring takes about 5 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Feb 20 and first bloom around Mar 28. We follow 11 places within 150 miles of Cleveland; the nearest lies 45 miles to the east. Statewide, Tennessee'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)
Best this weekend nearby
- Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee · 83 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Oct 1–Nov 10
Sat Oct 3: Rain Showers Likely, 76°F · Sun Oct 4: Rain Showers Likely, 72°F
No report yet - Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina · 145 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Oct 1–31
Sat Oct 3: Rain Showers Likely, 67°F · Sun Oct 4: Rain Showers Likely, 63°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.
Cleveland's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 6 to ~Oct 30
- First leaf ~Feb 20
- First bloom ~Mar 28
- Fall color under way ~Oct 21 (TN)
- Today
Near Cleveland 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 Oct 30 · last spring frost around Apr 6NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cleveland Fltr Plt (5.2 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Fall foliage · Cherokee National Forest · 45 miusually Oct 11–Nov 10~12 days
Cleveland's nature year
- Feb: Spring green-upFeb
- Wildflowers · Cherokee National ForestMar–May
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Synchronous fireflies · Great Smoky MountainsMay–Jun
- Oct: Fall color (TN)Oct
- Oct: First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Cherokee National Forest · 45 miusually Oct 11–Nov 10~12 days
- DeSoto State Park · 60 miStatewide: usually well under way by early November~5 weeks
- Little River Canyon · 69 miusually Oct 21–Nov 10~3 weeks
Synchronous fireflies
- Great Smoky Mountains · 83 miusually May 21–Jun 10~8 months
Wildflowers
- Cherokee National Forest · 45 miLocal timing: Mar 21–May 31~6 months
- Great Smoky Mountains · 83 miusually Apr 11–30~6 months
- Nantahala National Forest · 91 miLocal timing: Mar 15–May 15~5 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 6
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 30
About 207 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Feb 20
First bloom around Mar 28
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Cleveland Fltr Plt (5.2 mi from Cleveland), 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 Cleveland?
On average around Oct 30, and the last spring frost around Apr 6: about 207 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Cleveland Fltr Plt, 5.2 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Cleveland?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 20 and first bloom around Mar 28, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Cleveland?
Cherokee National Forest, 45 miles (usually Oct 11–Nov 10); DeSoto State Park, 60 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early November); Little River Canyon, 69 miles (usually Oct 21–Nov 10). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see synchronous fireflies near Cleveland?
Great Smoky Mountains, 83 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)