Your nature year
Ocala, Floridathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Ocala?
We follow 3 places within 150 miles of Ocala; the nearest lies 34 miles to the southwest. The closest place we follow is Crystal River Refuge, 34 miles away, for winter wildlife, Nov 15–Mar 31 (local timing).
Frost usually lets go around Feb 25 and comes back around Dec 12, according to the nearest NOAA station, Ocala: roughly 290 days without it. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Jan 20 and first bloom around Feb 11. At roughly 71 feet, Ocala is about as low as towns get.
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)
Ocala's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Feb 25 to ~Dec 12
- First leaf ~Jan 20
- First bloom ~Feb 11
- Today
Near Ocala right now
- First fall frost usually around Dec 12 · last spring frost around Feb 25NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Ocala (4.5 mi, 50% dates)~2 months
- Winter wildlife · Crystal River Refuge · 34 miLocal timing: Nov 15–Mar 31~7 weeks
Ocala's nature year
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Feb: Last spring frostFeb
- Winter wildlife · Crystal River RefugeNov–Mar
- Dec: First fall frostDec
Nearby, season by season
Winter wildlife
- Crystal River Refuge · 34 miLocal timing: Nov 15–Mar 31~7 weeks
- Merritt Island Refuge · 93 miLocal timing: Nov 1–Apr 30~5 weeks
- St. Marks Refuge · 137 miLocal timing: Nov 20–Dec 25~8 weeks
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Feb 25
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Dec 12
About 290 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 20
First bloom around Feb 11
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Ocala (4.5 mi from Ocala), 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 Ocala?
On average around Dec 12, and the last spring frost around Feb 25: about 290 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Ocala, 4.5 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Ocala?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 20 and first bloom around Feb 11, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see winter wildlife near Ocala?
Crystal River Refuge, 34 miles (local timing: Nov 15–Mar 31); Merritt Island Refuge, 93 miles (local timing: Nov 1–Apr 30); St. Marks Refuge, 137 miles (local timing: Nov 20–Dec 25). 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)