Your nature year
Columbus, Ohiothrough the year
Also for Dublin, OH, Grove City, OH, Reynoldsburg, OH, Hilliard, OH, Westerville, OH, Upper Arlington, OH, Gahanna, OH, Pickerington, OH: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Columbus?
Expect about 187 frost-free days in Columbus: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 20, the first fall one around Oct 24, going by NOAA's Columbus Wcmh station 3.6 miles away. Spring green-up reaches town around Mar 24, with first blooms around Apr 23. Spring takes about 4 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Within 150 miles we follow 3 places, out to Daniel Boone National Forest 135 miles to the south. The closest place we follow is Ohio River Islands Refuge, 103 miles away, for fall foliage, usually at its best Oct 11–20. For wildflowers, the nearest is Cuyahoga Valley (115 mi, Mar 21–May 15 (local timing)).
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)
Columbus's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 20 to ~Oct 24
- First leaf ~Mar 24
- First bloom ~Apr 23
- Today
Near Columbus right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 24 · last spring frost around Apr 20NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Columbus Wcmh (3.6 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Fall foliage · Ohio River Islands Refuge · 103 miusually Oct 11–20~13 days
Columbus's nature year
- Wildflowers · Cuyahoga ValleyMar–May
- 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 · 103 miusually Oct 11–20~13 days
- Cuyahoga Valley · 115 miusually Oct 15–21~2 weeks
- Daniel Boone National Forest · 135 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
Wildflowers
- Cuyahoga Valley · 115 miLocal timing: Mar 21–May 15~6 months
- Daniel Boone National Forest · 135 miLocal timing: Mar 21–Apr 30~6 months
Snow in Columbus
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 25 (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 John Glenn International Airport (5.7 mi away): 28 inches of snow in an average year, about 8.8 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 20
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 24
About 187 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 24
First bloom around Apr 23
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Columbus Wcmh (3.6 mi from Columbus), 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 Columbus?
On average around Oct 24, and the last spring frost around Apr 20: about 187 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Columbus Wcmh, 3.6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Columbus?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 24 and first bloom around Apr 23, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Columbus?
Ohio River Islands Refuge, 103 miles (usually Oct 11–20); Cuyahoga Valley, 115 miles (usually Oct 15–21); Daniel Boone National Forest, 135 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Columbus?
Cuyahoga Valley, 115 miles (local timing: Mar 21–May 15); Daniel Boone National Forest, 135 miles (local timing: Mar 21–Apr 30). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Columbus?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 25: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at John Glenn International Airport. An average year brings 28 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)