Your nature year
La Crosse, Wisconsinthrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to La Crosse?
We follow 3 places within 150 miles of La Crosse; the nearest lies 121 miles to the northwest. The closest place we follow is Minnesota Valley Refuge, 121 miles away, for wildflowers, Jun 1–Aug 31 (local timing). Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul (124 mi) is the pick for fall foliage, usually Sep 24–Oct 7. Expect about 169 frost-free days in La Crosse: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 27, the first fall one around Oct 13, going by NOAA's La Crosse Wfo station 1.7 miles away. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 12 and first bloom around May 10. La Crosse sits at about 636 feet. Statewide, Wisconsin's fall color is usually well under way by early 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
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 124 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Sep 24–Oct 7
Sat Oct 3: Mostly Sunny, 65°F · Sun Oct 4: Sunny, 61°F
No report yet
Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service.
La Crosse's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 27 to ~Oct 13
- First leaf ~Apr 12
- First bloom ~May 10
- Fall color under way ~Oct 8 (WI)
- Today
Near La Crosse right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by early October in WisconsinStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~10 days
- First fall frost usually around Oct 13 · last spring frost around Apr 27NOAA 1991–2020 normals, La Crosse Wfo (1.7 mi, 50% dates)~2 weeks
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 124 mi · usually Sep 24–Oct 7Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley Refuge · 121 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
La Crosse's nature year
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostApr
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley RefugeJun–Aug
- Fall color (WI)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 124 miusually Sep 24–Oct 7
- Saint Croix Riverway · 131 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
Wildflowers
- Minnesota Valley Refuge · 121 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Snow in La Crosse
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 7 (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 La Crosse Wfo (1.7 mi away): 54 inches of snow in an average year, about 16.4 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 27
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 13
About 169 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 12
First bloom around May 10
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at La Crosse Wfo (1.7 mi from La Crosse), 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 La Crosse?
On average around Oct 13, and the last spring frost around Apr 27: about 169 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at La Crosse Wfo, 1.7 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach La Crosse?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 12 and first bloom around May 10, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near La Crosse?
Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul, 124 miles (usually Sep 24–Oct 7); Saint Croix Riverway, 131 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near La Crosse?
Minnesota Valley Refuge, 121 miles (local timing: Jun 1–Aug 31). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in La Crosse?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 7: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at La Crosse Wfo. An average year brings 54 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 28)