Your nature year
Modesto, Californiathrough the year
Also for Turlock, CA, Ceres, CA, Riverbank, CA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Modesto?
Modesto sits close to sea level, at about 88 feet. Spring green-up reaches town around Jan 31, with first blooms around Feb 28. Spring takes about 4 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Modesto usually sees its last spring frost around Jan 31 and its first fall frost around Dec 5, a frost-free stretch of about 308 days at the nearest NOAA station, Modesto Airport. The closest place we follow is San Joaquin River Refuge, 16 miles away, for wildflowers, Apr 1–30 (local timing). For fall foliage, the nearest is Yosemite (72 mi, usually Oct 11–31). Head west for the closest of the 6 places we follow around Modesto. Across California, fall color is usually well under way by late 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)
Modesto's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Jan 31 to ~Dec 5
- First leaf ~Jan 31
- First bloom ~Feb 28
- Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (CA)
- Today
Near Modesto right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in CaliforniaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Dec 5 · last spring frost around Jan 31NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Modesto Airport (2.8 mi, 50% dates)~2 months
- Kaiser Pass Road · 107 mi · Local timing: Sep 25–Nov 30Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wildflowers · San Joaquin River Refuge · 16 miLocal timing: Apr 1–30~6 months
Modesto's nature year
- Spring green-upJan
- Last spring frostJan
- Wildflowers · San Joaquin River RefugeApr
- Fall color (CA)Oct
- First fall frostDec
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Yosemite · 72 miusually Oct 11–31~13 days
- Kaiser Pass Road · 107 miLocal timing: Sep 25–Nov 30
Wildflowers
- San Joaquin River Refuge · 16 miLocal timing: Apr 1–30~6 months
- San Luis Refuge · 24 miLocal timing: Apr 1–30~6 months
- Yosemite · 72 miLocal timing: Mar 1–Aug 31~5 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Jan 31
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Dec 5
About 308 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 31
First bloom around Feb 28
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Modesto Airport (2.8 mi from Modesto), 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 Modesto?
On average around Dec 5, and the last spring frost around Jan 31: about 308 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Modesto Airport, 2.8 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Modesto?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 31 and first bloom around Feb 28, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Modesto?
Yosemite, 72 miles (usually Oct 11–31); Kaiser Pass Road, 107 miles (local timing: Sep 25–Nov 30). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Modesto?
San Joaquin River Refuge, 16 miles (local timing: Apr 1–30); San Luis Refuge, 24 miles (local timing: Apr 1–30); Yosemite, 72 miles (local timing: Mar 1–Aug 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) · USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations (opens in a new tab) (Sep 28)