Your nature year
New Orleans, Louisianathrough the year
Also for Kenner, LA, Slidell, LA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to New Orleans?
Leaves usually come out around Jan 23 and the first flowers around Feb 15. Frost usually lets go around Jan 22 and comes back around Jan 5, according to the nearest NOAA station, New Orleans Lakefront Airport: roughly -17 days without it.
We follow 3 places within 150 miles of New Orleans; the nearest lies 6 miles to the east. The closest place we follow is Bayou Sauvage Refuge, 6 miles away, for wildlife by season, Summer (June-August), 2013 bird list (local timing). For winter wildlife, the nearest is Mandalay Refuge (61 mi, Watch for bald eagles October - May. (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)
Near New Orleans right now
- First fall frost usually around Jan 5 · last spring frost around Jan 22NOAA 1991–2020 normals, New Orleans Lakefront Airport (5.7 mi, 50% dates)~3 months
- Winter wildlife · Mandalay Refuge · 61 miLocal timing: Watch for bald eagles October - May.~1 day
Your guide around New Orleans
Nearby, season by season
Spring migration
- Atchafalaya Refuge · 111 miLocal timing: Visit in April or May for the best birding.~6 months
Wildlife by season
- Bayou Sauvage Refuge · 6 miLocal timing: Summer (June-August), 2013 bird list~8 months
Winter wildlife
- Mandalay Refuge · 61 miLocal timing: Watch for bald eagles October - May.~1 day
New Orleans's nature year
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Jan: Last spring frostJan
- Jan: First fall frostJan
- Spring migration · Atchafalaya RefugeApr–May
- Wildlife by season · Bayou Sauvage RefugeJun–Aug
- Winter wildlife · Mandalay RefugeOct–May
New Orleans's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Jan 22 to ~Jan 5
- First leaf ~Jan 23
- First bloom ~Feb 15
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Jan 22
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Jan 5
About -17 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 23
First bloom around Feb 15
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at New Orleans Lakefront Airport (5.7 mi from New Orleans), 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 Orleans?
On average around Jan 5, and the last spring frost around Jan 22: about -17 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at New Orleans Lakefront Airport, 5.7 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach New Orleans?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 23 and first bloom around Feb 15, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see spring migration near New Orleans?
Atchafalaya Refuge, 111 miles (local timing: Visit in April or May for the best birding.). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildlife by season near New Orleans?
Bayou Sauvage Refuge, 6 miles (local timing: Summer (June-August), 2013 bird list). 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)