Your nature year
Detroit, Michiganthrough the year
Also for Warren, MI, Sterling Heights, MI, Dearborn, MI, Livonia, MI, Troy, MI, Farmington Hills, MI, Westland, MI, Rochester Hills, MI, Southfield, MI, Novi, MI, Pontiac, MI, Dearborn Heights, MI, Royal Oak, MI, St. Clair Shores, MI, Roseville, MI, Eastpointe, MI, Oak Park, MI, Madison Heights, MI, Allen Park, MI, Hamtramck, MI, Garden City, MI, Auburn Hills, MI, Inkster, MI: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Detroit?
Ottawa Refuge, 54 miles from Detroit, is the nearest spring migration spot on this site, late April to mid-May (local timing). For fall foliage, the nearest is Cuyahoga Valley (112 mi, usually Oct 15–21).
At some 640 feet up, Detroit is on low ground. Expect about 181 frost-free days in Detroit: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 27, the first fall one around Oct 25, going by NOAA's Dearborn #2 station 4.4 miles away. About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 6 and first bloom around May 6. We follow 3 places within 150 miles of Detroit; the nearest lies 54 miles to the south.
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)
Detroit's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 27 to ~Oct 25
- First leaf ~Apr 6
- First bloom ~May 6
- Today
Near Detroit right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 25 · last spring frost around Apr 27NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Dearborn #2 (4.4 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Fall foliage · Cuyahoga Valley · 112 miusually Oct 15–21~2 weeks
Detroit's nature year
- Wildflowers · Cuyahoga ValleyMar–May
- Spring migration · Ottawa RefugeApr–May
- Apr: Spring green-upApr
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Oct: First fall frostOct
- Oct: Fall foliage · Cuyahoga ValleyOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Cuyahoga Valley · 112 miusually Oct 15–21~2 weeks
- Au Sable River · 141 miLocal timing: Oct 1–31~2 days
Spring migration
- Ottawa Refuge · 54 miLocal timing: late April to mid-May~7 months
Wildflowers
- Cuyahoga Valley · 112 miLocal timing: Mar 21–May 15~6 months
Snow in Detroit
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 5 (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 Dearborn (8.2 mi away): 31 inches of snow in an average year, about 12 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 27
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 25
About 181 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 6
First bloom around May 6
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Dearborn #2 (4.4 mi from Detroit), 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 Detroit?
On average around Oct 25, and the last spring frost around Apr 27: about 181 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Dearborn #2, 4.4 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Detroit?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 6 and first bloom around May 6, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Detroit?
Cuyahoga Valley, 112 miles (usually Oct 15–21); Au Sable River, 141 miles (local timing: Oct 1–31). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see spring migration near Detroit?
Ottawa Refuge, 54 miles (local timing: late April to mid-May). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Detroit?
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 5: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Dearborn. An average year brings 31 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)