Your nature year
Columbia, Missourithrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Columbia?
We follow 3 places within 150 miles of Columbia; the nearest lies 67 miles to the northwest. Swan Lake Refuge, 67 miles from Columbia, is the nearest spring migration spot on this site, April and May (local timing).
Two Rivers Refuge (96 mi) is the pick for winter wildlife, usually begin to arrive in October (local timing). Frost usually lets go around Apr 5 and comes back around Oct 31, according to the nearest NOAA station, Columbia U Of M: roughly 209 days without it. Leaves usually come out around Mar 16 and the first flowers around Apr 16.
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)
Near Columbia right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 31 · last spring frost around Apr 5NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Columbia U Of M (0.5 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Winter wildlife · Two Rivers Refuge · 96 miLocal timing: usually begin to arrive in October~1 day
Your guide around Columbia
Nearby, season by season
Spring migration
- Swan Lake Refuge · 67 miLocal timing: April and May~6 months
Winter wildlife
- Two Rivers Refuge · 96 miLocal timing: usually begin to arrive in October~1 day
- Meredosia Refuge · 113 miUsually: migration typically peaks in November~5 weeks
Columbia's nature year
- Mar: Spring green-upMar
- Spring migration · Swan Lake RefugeApr–May
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Oct: First fall frostOct
- Oct: Winter wildlife · Two Rivers RefugeOct
Columbia's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 5 to ~Oct 31
- First leaf ~Mar 16
- First bloom ~Apr 16
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 5
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 31
About 209 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 16
First bloom around Apr 16
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Columbia U Of M (0.5 mi from Columbia), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Snow in Columbia
Snow usually becomes possible around Jan 8 (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 Columbia U Of M (0.5 mi away): 17 inches of snow in an average year, about 5 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.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Columbia?
On average around Oct 31, and the last spring frost around Apr 5: about 209 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Columbia U Of M, 0.5 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Columbia?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 16 and first bloom around Apr 16, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see spring migration near Columbia?
Swan Lake Refuge, 67 miles (local timing: April and May). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see winter wildlife near Columbia?
Two Rivers Refuge, 96 miles (local timing: usually begin to arrive in October); Meredosia Refuge, 113 miles (usually: migration typically peaks in November). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Columbia?
Snow usually becomes possible around Jan 8: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Columbia U Of M. An average year brings 17 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)