Your nature year
Missoula, Montanathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Missoula?
Spring green-up reaches town around Apr 12, with first blooms around May 17. Frost usually lets go around May 10 and comes back around Oct 1, according to the nearest NOAA station, Missoula 2 NE: roughly 144 days without it. We follow 3 places within 150 miles of Missoula; the nearest lies 56 miles to the southwest. The closest place we follow is Lost Horse Canyon, 56 miles away, for fall foliage, Oct 1–31 (regional timing). For wildflowers, the nearest is Glacier (114 mi, Jun 15–Aug 15 (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)
Missoula's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~May 10 to ~Oct 1
- First leaf ~Apr 12
- First bloom ~May 17
- Today
Near Missoula right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 1 · last spring frost around May 10NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Missoula 2 NE (3.2 mi, 50% dates)~3 days
- Glacier · 114 mi · Local timing: Sep 11–Oct 20Fall foliage · in its window now
- Lemhi Pass · 133 mi · Local timing: Sep 21–Oct 31Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wildflowers · Glacier · 114 miLocal timing: Jun 15–Aug 15~9 months
Missoula's nature year
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostMay
- Wildflowers · GlacierJun–Aug
- First fall frostOct
- Fall foliage · Lost Horse CanyonOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Lost Horse Canyon · 56 miRegional timing: Oct 1–31~3 days
- Glacier · 114 miLocal timing: Sep 11–Oct 20
- Lemhi Pass · 133 miLocal timing: Sep 21–Oct 31
Wildflowers
- Glacier · 114 miLocal timing: Jun 15–Aug 15~9 months
Snow in Missoula
Snow usually becomes possible around Oct 31 (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 Missoula 2 NE (3.2 mi away): 50 inches of snow in an average year, about 17.5 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
May 10
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 1
About 144 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 12
First bloom around May 17
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Missoula 2 NE (3.2 mi from Missoula), 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 Missoula?
On average around Oct 1, and the last spring frost around May 10: about 144 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Missoula 2 NE, 3.2 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Missoula?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 12 and first bloom around May 17, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Missoula?
Lost Horse Canyon, 56 miles (regional timing: Oct 1–31); Glacier, 114 miles (local timing: Sep 11–Oct 20); Lemhi Pass, 133 miles (local timing: Sep 21–Oct 31). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Missoula?
Glacier, 114 miles (local timing: Jun 15–Aug 15). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Missoula?
Snow usually becomes possible around Oct 31: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Missoula 2 NE. An average year brings 50 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)