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Your nature year

Elkhart, Indianathrough the year

Also for Goshen, IN: the same nearby places.

When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Elkhart?

We follow 3 places within 150 miles of Elkhart; the nearest lies 58 miles to the west. Indiana Dunes, 58 miles from Elkhart, is the nearest fall foliage spot on this site, usually at its best around mid-October.

For wildflowers, the nearest is Indiana Dunes (58 mi, Most years, the wildflowers peak from late April through mid-May (usually)). At the Goshen 3sw weather station (10.1 mi), the average first fall frost is Oct 21 and the last spring frost Apr 26, which leaves Elkhart some 178 growing days. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 6 and first bloom around May 6. Across Indiana, fall color is usually well under way by late October.

Updated Oct 2. 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)

Beyond Elkhart: Indiana all-year guide →

Near Elkhart right now

  • Fall color is usually well under way by late October in IndianaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast
    ~3 weeks
  • First fall frost usually around Oct 21 · last spring frost around Apr 26NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Goshen 3sw (10.1 mi, 50% dates)
    ~3 weeks
  • Ottawa Refuge · 142 mi · Usually: waterfowl numbers peak in OctoberFall & winter wildlife · in its window now
    In season
  • Fall foliage · Indiana Dunes · 58 miusually around mid-October
    ~9 days

Nearest places to Elkhart

Straight-line miles; roads are longer

Nearby, season by season

Real places within 150 miles, straight-line

Fall foliage

Spring migration

Wildflowers

Fall & winter wildlife

Elkhart's nature year

From the town's own dates and its nearest places
  • Spring migration · Ottawa RefugeApr–May
  • Wildflowers · Indiana DunesApr–May
  • Spring green-upApr
  • Last spring frostApr
  • Fall color (IN)NowOct
  • First fall frostNowOct
  • Fall & winter wildlife · Ottawa RefugeNowOct

Elkhart's year at a glance

  • Frost possible
  • Frost-free, ~Apr 26 to ~Oct 21
  • First leaf ~Apr 6
  • First bloom ~May 6
  • Fall color under way ~Oct 23 (IN)
  • Today

Frost and green-up

Last spring frost

Apr 26

Average (50% date)

First fall frost

Oct 21

About 178 days without frost between

Spring green-up

Apr 6

First bloom around May 6

Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Goshen 3sw (10.1 mi from Elkhart), 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 Elkhart

NOAA 1991–2020 daily normals

Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 27 (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 Elkhart Public Works & Ut (2.3 mi away): 37 inches of snow in an average year, about 13.6 days with 1 inch or more.

0%15%30%10% lineOctDecFebApr

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 Elkhart?

On average around Oct 21, and the last spring frost around Apr 26: about 178 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Goshen 3sw, 10.1 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).

When does spring green-up reach Elkhart?

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 Elkhart?

Indiana Dunes, 58 miles (usually around mid-October). Distances are straight-line.

Where can I see spring migration near Elkhart?

Ottawa Refuge, 142 miles (local timing: late April to mid-May). Distances are straight-line.

When does it start snowing in Elkhart?

Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 27: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Elkhart Public Works & Ut. An average year brings 37 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) (Oct 2)

All our sources and how we use them →