Your nature year
Cookeville, Tennesseethrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Cookeville?
The closest place we follow is Big South Fork, 52 miles away, for fall foliage, usually well under way by late October (statewide). For wildflowers, the nearest is Mammoth Cave (79 mi, Mar 1–May 31 (local timing)). Cookeville sits at about 1,106 feet. Expect about 194 frost-free days in Cookeville: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 14, the first fall one around Oct 25, going by NOAA's Cookeville station 2.8 miles away. About 5 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Spring green-up reaches town around Feb 28, with first blooms around Apr 5. Head northeast for the closest of the 10 places we follow around Cookeville. 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 · 116 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.
Cookeville's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 14 to ~Oct 25
- First leaf ~Feb 28
- First bloom ~Apr 5
- Fall color under way ~Oct 21 (TN)
- Today
Near Cookeville 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 25 · last spring frost around Apr 14NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cookeville (2.8 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Fall foliage · Big South Fork · 52 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
Cookeville's nature year
- Spring green-upFeb
- Wildflowers · Mammoth CaveMar–May
- Last spring frostApr
- Synchronous fireflies · Great Smoky MountainsMay–Jun
- Fall color (TN)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Big South Fork · 52 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
- Mammoth Cave · 79 miLocal timing: Oct 21–31~3 weeks
- Cherokee National Forest · 94 miusually Oct 11–Nov 10~13 days
Synchronous fireflies
- Great Smoky Mountains · 116 miusually May 21–Jun 10~8 months
Wildflowers
- Mammoth Cave · 79 miLocal timing: Mar 1–May 31~5 months
- Cherokee National Forest · 94 miLocal timing: Mar 21–May 31~6 months
- Great Smoky Mountains · 116 miusually Apr 11–30~6 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 14
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 25
About 194 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Feb 28
First bloom around Apr 5
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Cookeville (2.8 mi from Cookeville), 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 Cookeville?
On average around Oct 25, and the last spring frost around Apr 14: about 194 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Cookeville, 2.8 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Cookeville?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 28 and first bloom around Apr 5, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Cookeville?
Big South Fork, 52 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October); Mammoth Cave, 79 miles (local timing: Oct 21–31); Cherokee National Forest, 94 miles (usually Oct 11–Nov 10). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see synchronous fireflies near Cookeville?
Great Smoky Mountains, 116 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)