Your nature year
Lafayette, Louisianathrough the year
Also for New Iberia, LA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Lafayette?
Leaves usually come out around Jan 24 and the first flowers around Feb 19. Frost usually lets go around Feb 13 and comes back around Dec 4, according to NOAA's Lafayette Regional Airport station, 2.4 miles away: roughly 294 days without it.
Head northeast for the closest of the 4 places we follow around Lafayette. Atchafalaya Refuge, 28 miles from Lafayette, is the nearest spring migration spot on this site, Visit in April or May for the best birding. (local timing). For winter wildlife, the nearest is Mandalay Refuge (87 mi, Watch for bald eagles October - 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)
Near Lafayette right now
- First fall frost usually around Dec 4 · last spring frost around Feb 13NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lafayette Regional Airport (2.4 mi, 50% dates)~2 months
- Winter wildlife · Mandalay Refuge · 87 miLocal timing: Watch for bald eagles October - May.~1 day
Your guide around Lafayette
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Big Thicket National Preserve · 137 miusually late November through early December~7 weeks
Spring migration
- Atchafalaya Refuge · 28 miLocal timing: Visit in April or May for the best birding.~6 months
Wildflowers
- Big Thicket National Preserve · 137 miAt one spot: late March and April~6 months
Wildlife by season
- Bayou Sauvage Refuge · 131 miLocal timing: Summer (June-August), 2013 bird list~8 months
Winter wildlife
- Mandalay Refuge · 87 miLocal timing: Watch for bald eagles October - May.~1 day
Lafayette's nature year
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Feb: Last spring frostFeb
- Wildflowers · Big Thicket National PreserveMar–Apr
- Spring migration · Atchafalaya RefugeApr–May
- Wildlife by season · Bayou Sauvage RefugeJun–Aug
- Winter wildlife · Mandalay RefugeOct–May
- Fall foliage · Big Thicket National PreserveNov–Dec
- Dec: First fall frostDec
Lafayette's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Feb 13 to ~Dec 4
- First leaf ~Jan 24
- First bloom ~Feb 19
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Feb 13
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Dec 4
About 294 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 24
First bloom around Feb 19
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Lafayette Regional Airport (2.4 mi from Lafayette), 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 Lafayette?
On average around Dec 4, and the last spring frost around Feb 13: about 294 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Lafayette Regional Airport, 2.4 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Lafayette?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 24 and first bloom around Feb 19, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Lafayette?
Big Thicket National Preserve, 137 miles (usually late November through early December). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see spring migration near Lafayette?
Atchafalaya Refuge, 28 miles (local timing: Visit in April or May for the best birding.). 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)