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Your nature year

Fort Wayne, Indianathrough the year

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

The closest place we follow is Ottawa Refuge, 106 miles away, for spring migration, late April to mid-May (local timing). For fall & winter wildlife, the nearest is Ottawa Refuge (106 mi, waterfowl numbers peak in October (usually)).

Expect about 180 frost-free days in Fort Wayne: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 24, the first fall one around Oct 21, going by NOAA's Ft Wayne International Airport station 8.7 miles away. About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Spring green-up reaches town around Apr 3, with first blooms around May 2. Head east for the closest of the 3 places we follow around Fort Wayne. 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 Fort Wayne: Indiana all-year guide →

Near Fort Wayne 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 24NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Ft Wayne International Airport (8.7 mi, 50% dates)
    ~3 weeks
  • Ottawa Refuge · 106 mi · Usually: waterfowl numbers peak in OctoberFall & winter wildlife · in its window now
    In season
  • Fall foliage · Indiana Dunes · 107 miusually around mid-October
    ~9 days

Nearby, season by season

Real places within 150 miles, straight-line

Fall foliage

Spring migration

Wildflowers

Fall & winter wildlife

Fort Wayne'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

Fort Wayne's year at a glance

  • Frost possible
  • Frost-free, ~Apr 24 to ~Oct 21
  • First leaf ~Apr 3
  • First bloom ~May 2
  • Fall color under way ~Oct 23 (IN)
  • Today

Frost and green-up

Last spring frost

Apr 24

Average (50% date)

First fall frost

Oct 21

About 180 days without frost between

Spring green-up

Apr 3

First bloom around May 2

Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Ft Wayne International Airport (8.7 mi from Fort Wayne), 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 Fort Wayne

NOAA 1991–2020 daily normals

Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 16 (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 Ft Wayne International Airport (8.7 mi away): 34 inches of snow in an average year, about 10.7 days with 1 inch or more.

0%20%40%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 Fort Wayne?

On average around Oct 21, and the last spring frost around Apr 24: about 180 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Ft Wayne International Airport, 8.7 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).

When does spring green-up reach Fort Wayne?

The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 3 and first bloom around May 2, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.

Where can I see fall foliage near Fort Wayne?

Indiana Dunes, 107 miles (usually around mid-October). Distances are straight-line.

Where can I see spring migration near Fort Wayne?

Ottawa Refuge, 106 miles (local timing: late April to mid-May). Distances are straight-line.

When does it start snowing in Fort Wayne?

Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 16: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Ft Wayne International Airport. An average year brings 34 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 →