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Your nature year

Johnson City, Tennesseethrough the year

Also for Kingsport, TN, Bristol, TN: the same nearby places.

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

Johnson City sits at about 1,637 feet. Spring green-up reaches town around Mar 1, with first blooms around Apr 7. About 5 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Expect about 188 frost-free days in Johnson City: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 19, the first fall one around Oct 24, going by NOAA's Elizabethton station 7.4 miles away. Blue Ridge Parkway, 44 miles from Johnson City, is the nearest fall foliage spot on this site, usually at its best Oct 1–31. Blue Ridge Parkway (44 mi) is the pick for wildflowers, usually Apr 21–May 10. Within 150 miles we follow 9 places, out to Daniel Boone National Forest 133 miles to the northwest. Statewide, Tennessee's 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)

Best this weekend nearby

Oct 3–Oct 4 · within 150 straight-line miles of Johnson City
  1. Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina · 44 mi · Fall foliage

    Usually Oct 1–31

    Sat Oct 3: Chance Rain Showers, 64°F · Sun Oct 4: Rain Showers Likely, 59°F

    No report yet
  2. Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee · 79 mi · Fall foliage

    Usually Oct 1–Nov 10

    Sat Oct 3: Chance Rain Showers, 75°F · Sun Oct 4: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, 70°F

    No report yet

Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service. 1 more nearby place has only regional or statewide timing, so it isn't listed.

Johnson City's year at a glance

  • Frost possible
  • Frost-free, ~Apr 19 to ~Oct 24
  • First leaf ~Mar 1
  • First bloom ~Apr 7
  • Fall color under way ~Oct 21 (TN)
  • Today

Near Johnson City right now

  • Fall color is usually well under way by late October in TennesseeStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast
    ~3 weeks
  • First fall frost usually around Oct 24 · last spring frost around Apr 19NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Elizabethton (7.4 mi, 50% dates)
    ~4 weeks
  • Fall foliage · Blue Ridge Parkway · 44 miusually Oct 1–31
    ~3 days

Johnson City's nature year

From the town's own dates and its nearest places
  • Spring green-upMar
  • Wildflowers · Blue Ridge ParkwayApr–May
  • Last spring frostApr
  • Synchronous fireflies · Great Smoky MountainsMay–Jun
  • Fall color (TN)Oct
  • First fall frostOct

Nearby, season by season

Real places within 150 miles, straight-line

Fall foliage

Synchronous fireflies

Wildflowers

Frost and green-up

Last spring frost

Apr 19

Average (50% date)

First fall frost

Oct 24

About 188 days without frost between

Spring green-up

Mar 1

First bloom around Apr 7

Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Elizabethton (7.4 mi from Johnson City), 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 Johnson City?

On average around Oct 24, and the last spring frost around Apr 19: about 188 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Elizabethton, 7.4 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).

When does spring green-up reach Johnson City?

The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 1 and first bloom around Apr 7, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.

Where can I see fall foliage near Johnson City?

Blue Ridge Parkway, 44 miles (usually Oct 1–31); George Washington and Jefferson, 45 miles (usually Oct 11–31); Cumberland Gap, 76 miles (local timing: Oct 1–31). Distances are straight-line.

Where can I see synchronous fireflies near Johnson City?

Great Smoky Mountains, 79 miles (usually May 21–Jun 10). 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)

All our sources and how we use them →