Your nature year
Duluth, Minnesotathrough the year
Also for Superior, WI: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Duluth?
Spring green-up reaches town around May 1, with first blooms around Jun 2. Duluth usually sees its last spring frost around May 14 and its first fall frost around Oct 12, a frost-free stretch of about 151 days at NOAA's Duluth Harbor Stn station, 2.1 miles away. Across Minnesota, fall color is usually well under way by mid-October. Head east for the closest of the 8 places we follow around Duluth. The closest place we follow is Apostle Islands, 62 miles away, for fall foliage, usually well under way by early October (statewide). For wildflowers, the nearest is Minnesota Valley Refuge (144 mi, Jun 1–Aug 31 (local timing)). Duluth sits at about 973 feet.
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
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 139 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Sep 24–Oct 7
Sat Oct 3: Mostly Sunny, 64°F · Sun Oct 4: Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, 62°F
No report yet
Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service.
Duluth's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~May 14 to ~Oct 12
- First leaf ~May 1
- First bloom ~Jun 2
- Fall color under way ~Oct 11 (MN)
- Today
Near Duluth right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in MinnesotaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~13 days
- First fall frost usually around Oct 12 · last spring frost around May 14NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Duluth Harbor Stn (2.1 mi, 50% dates)~2 weeks
- Chippewa National Forest · 92 mi · usually Sep 17–30Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley Refuge · 144 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Duluth's nature year
- Spring green-upMay
- Last spring frostMay
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley RefugeJun–Aug
- Fall color (MN)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Apostle Islands · 62 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
- Superior National Forest · 82 miStatewide: usually well under way by mid-October~10 days
- Chippewa National Forest · 92 miusually Sep 17–30
Wildflowers
- Minnesota Valley Refuge · 144 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Snow in Duluth
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 17 (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 Superior (4.4 mi away): 56 inches of snow in an average year, about 18.2 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
May 14
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 12
About 151 days without frost between
Spring green-up
May 1
First bloom around Jun 2
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Duluth Harbor Stn (2.1 mi from Duluth), 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 Duluth?
On average around Oct 12, and the last spring frost around May 14: about 151 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Duluth Harbor Stn, 2.1 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Duluth?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around May 1 and first bloom around Jun 2, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Duluth?
Apostle Islands, 62 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October); Superior National Forest, 82 miles (statewide: usually well under way by mid-October); Chippewa National Forest, 92 miles (usually Sep 17–30). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Duluth?
Minnesota Valley Refuge, 144 miles (local timing: Jun 1–Aug 31). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Duluth?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 17: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Superior. An average year brings 56 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) · USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)