Your nature year
Harrisonburg, Virginiathrough the year
Also for Staunton, VA, Winchester, VA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Harrisonburg?
Harrisonburg sits at about 1,313 feet. Spring green-up reaches town around Mar 17, with first blooms around Apr 20. Spring takes about 5 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Expect about 185 frost-free days in Harrisonburg: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 21, the first fall one around Oct 23, going by NOAA's Dale Enterprise station 3.6 miles away. The closest place we follow is Shenandoah, 24 miles away, for fall foliage, usually at its best Oct 8–21. For wildflowers, the nearest is Shenandoah (24 mi, Mar 21–Jun 30 (local timing)). Within 150 miles we follow 17 places, out to Ohio River Islands Refuge 142 miles to the northwest. Across Virginia, fall color is usually well under way by late October.
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)
Harrisonburg's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 21 to ~Oct 23
- First leaf ~Mar 17
- First bloom ~Apr 20
- Fall color under way ~Oct 25 (VA)
- Today
Near Harrisonburg right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in VirginiaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Oct 23 · last spring frost around Apr 21NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Dale Enterprise (3.6 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Canaan Valley Refuge · 57 mi · usually Sep 21–30Fall foliage · in its window now
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 109 mi · Local timing: May 21–Sep 30Wildflowers · in its window now
- Cherry blossoms · Washington, DC · 104 miusually Mar 25–Apr 7~6 months
Harrisonburg's nature year
- Wildflowers · ShenandoahMar–Jun
- Cherry blossoms · Washington, DCMar–Apr
- Spring green-upMar
- Last spring frostApr
- Tulips · Washington, DCApr
- Fall color (VA)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Cherry blossoms
- Washington, DC · 104 miusually Mar 25–Apr 7~6 months
- US National Arboretum · 107 miusually Mar 1–Apr 30~5 months
- Baltimore (Fort McHenry) · 136 miusually Mar 24–Apr 7~6 months
Fall foliage
- Shenandoah · 24 miusually Oct 8–21~10 days
- Canaan Valley Refuge · 57 miusually Sep 21–30
- Occoquan Bay Refuge · 90 miLocal timing: Oct 21–31~3 weeks
Tulips
- Washington, DC · 104 miLocal timing: Apr 1–20~6 months
Wildflowers
- Shenandoah · 24 miLocal timing: Mar 21–Jun 30~6 months
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 109 miLocal timing: May 21–Sep 30
- Catoctin Mountain · 114 miLocal timing: Apr 1–May 31~6 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 21
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 23
About 185 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 17
First bloom around Apr 20
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Dale Enterprise (3.6 mi from Harrisonburg), 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 Harrisonburg?
On average around Oct 23, and the last spring frost around Apr 21: about 185 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Dale Enterprise, 3.6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Harrisonburg?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 17 and first bloom around Apr 20, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see cherry blossoms near Harrisonburg?
Washington, DC, 104 miles (usually Mar 25–Apr 7); US National Arboretum, 107 miles (usually Mar 1–Apr 30); Baltimore (Fort McHenry), 136 miles (usually Mar 24–Apr 7). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see fall foliage near Harrisonburg?
Shenandoah, 24 miles (usually Oct 8–21); Canaan Valley Refuge, 57 miles (usually Sep 21–30); Occoquan Bay Refuge, 90 miles (local timing: Oct 21–31). Distances are straight-line.
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)