Your nature year
Gardner, Kansasthrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Gardner?
Expect about 194 frost-free days in Gardner: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 13, the first fall one around Oct 24, going by NOAA's Olathe Johnson Co Ind Airport station 2 miles away. The town is about 1,058 feet above sea level.
Leaves usually come out around Mar 17 and the first flowers around Apr 17. Spring takes about 4 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Within 150 miles we follow 3 places, out to Swan Lake Refuge 106 miles to the northeast. For a day trip, Flint Hills Refuge is 66 miles off; its winter wildlife is their peak numbers occurring in November (local timing). For spring migration, the nearest is Swan Lake Refuge (106 mi, April and May (local timing)).
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)
Gardner's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 13 to ~Oct 24
- First leaf ~Mar 17
- First bloom ~Apr 17
- Today
Near Gardner right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 24 · last spring frost around Apr 13NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Olathe Johnson Co Ind Airport (2 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Winter wildlife · Flint Hills Refuge · 66 miLocal timing: their peak numbers occurring in November~5 weeks
Gardner's nature year
- Mar: Spring green-upMar
- Spring migration · Swan Lake RefugeApr–May
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Oct: First fall frostOct
- Nov: Winter wildlife · Flint Hills RefugeNov
Nearby, season by season
Spring migration
- Swan Lake Refuge · 106 miLocal timing: April and May~6 months
Winter wildlife
- Flint Hills Refuge · 66 miLocal timing: their peak numbers occurring in November~5 weeks
- Loess Bluffs Refuge · 89 miLocal timing: Oct 15–Nov 30~2 weeks
Snow in Gardner
Snow usually becomes possible around Jan 2 (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 Olathe 3e (10.3 mi away): 14 inches of snow in an average year, about 5.5 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 13
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 24
About 194 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 17
First bloom around Apr 17
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Olathe Johnson Co Ind Airport (2 mi from Gardner), 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 Gardner?
On average around Oct 24, and the last spring frost around Apr 13: about 194 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Olathe Johnson Co Ind Airport, 2 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Gardner?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 17 and first bloom around Apr 17, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see spring migration near Gardner?
Swan Lake Refuge, 106 miles (local timing: April and May). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see winter wildlife near Gardner?
Flint Hills Refuge, 66 miles (local timing: their peak numbers occurring in November); Loess Bluffs Refuge, 89 miles (local timing: Oct 15–Nov 30). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Gardner?
Snow usually becomes possible around Jan 2: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Olathe 3e. An average year brings 14 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)