Your nature year
Oak Lawn, Illinoisthrough the year
Also for Tinley Park, IL, Oak Forest, IL: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Oak Lawn?
Spring green-up reaches town around Apr 3, with first blooms around May 1. Oak Lawn usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 10 and its first fall frost around Nov 1, a frost-free stretch of about 205 days at the nearest NOAA station, Chicago Midway Airport 3sw.
Across Illinois, fall color is usually well under way by late October. Within 150 miles we follow 3 places, out to Chautauqua Refuge 150 miles to the southwest. Indiana Dunes, 36 miles from Oak Lawn, is the nearest fall foliage spot on this site, usually at its best around mid-October. Indiana Dunes (36 mi) is the pick for wildflowers, Most years, the wildflowers peak from late April through mid-May (usually).
Updated Oct 2. 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 Oak Lawn right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in IllinoisStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Nov 1 · last spring frost around Apr 10NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Chicago Midway Airport 3sw (2 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Horicon Refuge · 135 mi · Local timing: fallWildlife by season · in its window nowIn season
- Fall foliage · Indiana Dunes · 36 miusually around mid-October~9 days
Nearest places to Oak Lawn
- Indiana DunesTownUsually around mid-October36 mi
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Indiana Dunes · 36 miusually around mid-October~9 days
Wildflowers
- Indiana Dunes · 36 miUsually: Most years, the wildflowers peak from late April through mid-May~7 months
Wildlife by season
- Horicon Refuge · 135 miLocal timing: fallIn season
Fall & winter wildlife
- Chautauqua Refuge · 150 miUsually: Migration typically peaks in November~4 weeks
Oak Lawn's nature year
- Wildflowers · Indiana DunesApr–May
- Apr: Spring green-upApr
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Wildlife by season · Horicon RefugeNowSep–Nov
- Oct: Fall color (IL)NowOct
- Nov: First fall frostNov
- Nov: Fall & winter wildlife · Chautauqua RefugeNov
Oak Lawn's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 10 to ~Nov 1
- First leaf ~Apr 3
- First bloom ~May 1
- Fall color under way ~Oct 27 (IL)
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 10
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Nov 1
About 205 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 3
First bloom around May 1
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Chicago Midway Airport 3sw (2 mi from Oak Lawn), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Snow in Oak Lawn
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 25 (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 Chicago Midway Airport 3sw (2 mi away): 39 inches of snow in an average year, about 11.3 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.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Oak Lawn?
On average around Nov 1, and the last spring frost around Apr 10: about 205 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Chicago Midway Airport 3sw, 2 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Oak Lawn?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 3 and first bloom around May 1, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Oak Lawn?
Indiana Dunes, 36 miles (usually around mid-October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Oak Lawn?
Indiana Dunes, 36 miles (usually: Most years, the wildflowers peak from late April through mid-May). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Oak Lawn?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 25: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Chicago Midway Airport 3sw. An average year brings 39 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) (Oct 2)