Your nature year
Lakeland, Floridathrough the year
Also for Winter Haven, FL, Haines City, FL: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Lakeland?
The closest place we follow is Crystal River Refuge, 69 miles away, for winter wildlife, Nov 15–Mar 31 (local timing). At some 202 feet up, Lakeland is on low ground.
Frost usually lets go around Jan 26 and comes back around Jan 9, according to the nearest NOAA station, Lakeland 2: roughly -17 days without it. About 2 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Jan 15 and first bloom around Feb 1. We follow 3 places within 150 miles of Lakeland; the nearest lies 69 miles to the northwest.
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)
Lakeland's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Jan 26 to ~Jan 9
- First leaf ~Jan 15
- First bloom ~Feb 1
- Today
Near Lakeland right now
- First fall frost usually around Jan 9 · last spring frost around Jan 26NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lakeland 2 (5.6 mi, 50% dates)~3 months
- Winter wildlife · Crystal River Refuge · 69 miLocal timing: Nov 15–Mar 31~7 weeks
Lakeland's nature year
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Jan: Last spring frostJan
- Jan: First fall frostJan
- Winter wildlife · Crystal River RefugeNov–Mar
Nearby, season by season
Winter wildlife
- Crystal River Refuge · 69 miLocal timing: Nov 15–Mar 31~7 weeks
- Merritt Island Refuge · 84 miLocal timing: Nov 1–Apr 30~5 weeks
- Ding Darling Refuge · 111 miLocal timing: Jan 1–Mar 31~3 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Jan 26
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Jan 9
About -17 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 15
First bloom around Feb 1
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Lakeland 2 (5.6 mi from Lakeland), 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 Lakeland?
On average around Jan 9, and the last spring frost around Jan 26: about -17 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Lakeland 2, 5.6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Lakeland?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 15 and first bloom around Feb 1, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see winter wildlife near Lakeland?
Crystal River Refuge, 69 miles (local timing: Nov 15–Mar 31); Merritt Island Refuge, 84 miles (local timing: Nov 1–Apr 30); Ding Darling Refuge, 111 miles (local timing: Jan 1–Mar 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)