Your nature year
New Bern, North Carolinathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to New Bern?
New Bern sits close to sea level, at about 16 feet. Leaves usually come out around Feb 8 and the first flowers around Mar 14.
Spring takes about 5 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Expect about 237 frost-free days in New Bern: the last spring frost usually comes around Mar 23, the first fall one around Nov 15, going by NOAA's New Bern - ASOS station 2.4 miles away. Pocosin Lakes Refuge, 52 miles from New Bern, is the nearest winter wildlife spot on this site, Nov 1–Feb 28 (local timing). For fall foliage, the nearest is Great Dismal Swamp Refuge (109 mi, Oct 21–31 (local timing)). We follow 3 places within 150 miles of New Bern; the nearest lies 52 miles to the northeast. Across North Carolina, fall color is usually well under way by mid-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)
New Bern's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Mar 23 to ~Nov 15
- First leaf ~Feb 8
- First bloom ~Mar 14
- Fall color under way ~Oct 18 (NC)
- Today
Near New Bern right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in North CarolinaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~3 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Nov 15 · last spring frost around Mar 23NOAA 1991–2020 normals, New Bern - ASOS (2.4 mi, 50% dates)~7 weeks
- Fall foliage · Great Dismal Swamp Refuge · 109 miLocal timing: Oct 21–31~3 weeks
New Bern's nature year
- Feb: Spring green-upFeb
- Mar: Last spring frostMar
- Oct: Fall color (NC)Oct
- Nov: First fall frostNov
- Winter wildlife · Pocosin Lakes RefugeNov–Feb
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Great Dismal Swamp Refuge · 109 miLocal timing: Oct 21–31~3 weeks
Winter wildlife
- Pocosin Lakes Refuge · 52 miLocal timing: Nov 1–Feb 28~5 weeks
- Mattamuskeet Refuge · 56 miLocal timing: Nov 1–Feb 28~5 weeks
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Mar 23
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Nov 15
About 237 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Feb 8
First bloom around Mar 14
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at New Bern - ASOS (2.4 mi from New Bern), 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 New Bern?
On average around Nov 15, and the last spring frost around Mar 23: about 237 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at New Bern - ASOS, 2.4 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach New Bern?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 8 and first bloom around Mar 14, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near New Bern?
Great Dismal Swamp Refuge, 109 miles (local timing: Oct 21–31). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see winter wildlife near New Bern?
Pocosin Lakes Refuge, 52 miles (local timing: Nov 1–Feb 28); Mattamuskeet Refuge, 56 miles (local timing: Nov 1–Feb 28). 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)