Your nature year
Minneapolis, Minnesotathrough the year
Also for St. Paul, MN, Bloomington, MN, Brooklyn Park, MN, Woodbury, MN, Plymouth, MN, Lakeville, MN, Blaine, MN, Maple Grove, MN, Eagan, MN, Burnsville, MN, Coon Rapids, MN, Eden Prairie, MN, Apple Valley, MN, Edina, MN, Minnetonka, MN, St. Louis Park, MN, Shakopee, MN, Cottage Grove, MN, Maplewood, MN, Richfield, MN, Inver Grove Heights, MN, Roseville, MN, Andover, MN, Savage, MN, Brooklyn Center, MN, Fridley, MN, Rosemount, MN, Oakdale, MN, Chaska, MN, Ramsey, MN, Prior Lake, MN, Shoreview, MN, Chanhassen, MN: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Minneapolis?
The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 15 and first bloom around May 11. At NOAA's Lower St Anthony Falls station, 1.5 miles away, the average first fall frost is Oct 16 and the last spring frost Apr 23, which leaves Minneapolis some 176 growing days. Statewide, Minnesota's fall color is usually well under way by mid-October. Within 150 miles we follow 3 places, out to Saint Croix Riverway 44 miles to the northeast. For a day trip, Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul is 4 miles off; its fall foliage is usually at its best Sep 24–Oct 7. Minnesota Valley Refuge (9 mi) is the pick for wildflowers, Jun 1–Aug 31 (local timing).
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 · 4 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Sep 24–Oct 7
Sat Oct 3: Mostly Sunny, 64°F · Sun Oct 4: Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, 62°F
No report yet
Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service.
Minneapolis's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 23 to ~Oct 16
- First leaf ~Apr 15
- First bloom ~May 11
- Fall color under way ~Oct 11 (MN)
- Today
Near Minneapolis right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in MinnesotaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~13 days
- First fall frost usually around Oct 16 · last spring frost around Apr 23NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lower St Anthony Falls (1.5 mi, 50% dates)~3 weeks
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 4 mi · usually Sep 24–Oct 7Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley Refuge · 9 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Minneapolis's nature year
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostApr
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley RefugeJun–Aug
- Fall color (MN)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 4 miusually Sep 24–Oct 7
- Saint Croix Riverway · 44 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
Wildflowers
- Minnesota Valley Refuge · 9 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Snow in Minneapolis
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 27 (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 U Of Mn St Paul (4.7 mi away): 40 inches of snow in an average year, about 7.5 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 23
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 16
About 176 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 15
First bloom around May 11
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Lower St Anthony Falls (1.5 mi from Minneapolis), 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 Minneapolis?
On average around Oct 16, and the last spring frost around Apr 23: about 176 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Lower St Anthony Falls, 1.5 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Minneapolis?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 15 and first bloom around May 11, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Minneapolis?
Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul, 4 miles (usually Sep 24–Oct 7); Saint Croix Riverway, 44 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Minneapolis?
Minnesota Valley Refuge, 9 miles (local timing: Jun 1–Aug 31). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Minneapolis?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 27: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at U Of Mn St Paul. An average year brings 40 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)