Your nature year
Galesburg, Illinoisthrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Galesburg?
Galesburg usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 20 and its first fall frost around Oct 19, a frost-free stretch of about 182 days at NOAA's Galesburg station, 0.5 miles away. Spring green-up reaches town around Apr 3, with first blooms around May 1.
About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Head northwest for the closest of the 5 places we follow around Galesburg. The closest place we follow is Port Louisa Refuge, 43 miles away, for spring migration, April to May (local timing). For winter wildlife, the nearest is Chautauqua Refuge (45 mi, Migration typically peaks in November (usually)). Statewide, Illinois' fall color is usually well under way by late October.
Updated Sep 29. 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)
Near Galesburg right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in IllinoisStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Oct 19 · last spring frost around Apr 20NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Galesburg (0.5 mi, 50% dates)~3 weeks
- Winter wildlife · Chautauqua Refuge · 45 miUsually: Migration typically peaks in November~5 weeks
Your guide around Galesburg
Nearby, season by season
Spring migration
- Port Louisa Refuge · 43 miLocal timing: April to May~6 months
Winter wildlife
- Chautauqua Refuge · 45 miUsually: Migration typically peaks in November~5 weeks
- Emiquon Refuge · 45 miUsually: migration typically peaks in November~5 weeks
- Meredosia Refuge · 77 miUsually: migration typically peaks in November~5 weeks
Galesburg's nature year
- Spring migration · Port Louisa RefugeApr–May
- Apr: Spring green-upApr
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Oct: Fall color (IL)Oct
- Oct: First fall frostOct
- Nov: Winter wildlife · Chautauqua RefugeNov
Galesburg's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 20 to ~Oct 19
- First leaf ~Apr 3
- First bloom ~May 1
- Fall color under way ~Oct 27 (IL)
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 20
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 19
About 182 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 3
First bloom around May 1
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Galesburg (0.5 mi from Galesburg), 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 Galesburg
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 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 Galesburg (0.5 mi away): 26 inches of snow in an average year, about 8.6 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.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Galesburg?
On average around Oct 19, and the last spring frost around Apr 20: about 182 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Galesburg, 0.5 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Galesburg?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 3 and first bloom around May 1, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see spring migration near Galesburg?
Port Louisa Refuge, 43 miles (local timing: April to May). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see winter wildlife near Galesburg?
Chautauqua Refuge, 45 miles (usually: Migration typically peaks in November); Emiquon Refuge, 45 miles (usually: migration typically peaks in November); Meredosia Refuge, 77 miles (usually: migration typically peaks in November). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Galesburg?
Snow usually becomes possible around Dec 16: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Galesburg. An average year brings 26 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 29)