Your nature year
Olympia, Washingtonthrough the year
Also for Tumwater, WA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Olympia?
For a day trip, Seattle is 50 miles off; its cherry blossoms is Mar 21–Apr 10 (local timing). Mount Rainier (57 mi) is the pick for fall foliage, Sep 1–30 (local timing). At roughly 32 feet, Olympia is about as low as towns get. Olympia usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 29 and its first fall frost around Oct 14, a frost-free stretch of about 168 days at the nearest NOAA station, Olympia Airport. Spring takes about 8 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Leaves usually come out around Feb 27 and the first flowers around Apr 21. Head northeast for the closest of the 8 places we follow around Olympia. Across Washington, 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)
Best this weekend nearby
- Washington Pass · 146 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Sep 21–Oct 10
Sat Oct 3: Mostly Sunny, 57°F · Sun Oct 4: Mostly Sunny, 58°F
No report yet
Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service.
Olympia's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 29 to ~Oct 14
- First leaf ~Feb 27
- First bloom ~Apr 21
- Fall color under way ~Oct 28 (WA)
- Today
Near Olympia right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in WashingtonStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Oct 14 · last spring frost around Apr 29NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Olympia Airport (4.7 mi, 50% dates)~2 weeks
- Mount Rainier · 57 mi · Local timing: Sep 1–30Fall foliage · in its window now
- Cherry blossoms · Seattle · 50 miLocal timing: Mar 21–Apr 10~6 months
Olympia's nature year
- Spring green-upFeb
- Cherry blossoms · SeattleMar–Apr
- Last spring frostApr
- Lavender · SequimJul–Aug
- Wildflowers · Mount RainierJul–Aug
- Fall color (WA)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Cherry blossoms
- Seattle · 50 miLocal timing: Mar 21–Apr 10~6 months
Fall foliage
- Mount Rainier · 57 miLocal timing: Sep 1–30
- Mountain Loop Highway · 89 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~4 weeks
- Wind River · 104 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~4 weeks
Wildflowers
- Mount Rainier · 57 miusually Jul 21–Aug 10~10 months
- Mountain Loop Highway · 89 miLocal timing: Jul 1–Aug 31~9 months
- Wind River · 104 miLocal timing: Jul 15–Aug 31~10 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 29
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 14
About 168 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Feb 27
First bloom around Apr 21
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Olympia Airport (4.7 mi from Olympia), 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 Olympia?
On average around Oct 14, and the last spring frost around Apr 29: about 168 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Olympia Airport, 4.7 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Olympia?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 27 and first bloom around Apr 21, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see cherry blossoms near Olympia?
Seattle, 50 miles (local timing: Mar 21–Apr 10). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see fall foliage near Olympia?
Mount Rainier, 57 miles (local timing: Sep 1–30); Mountain Loop Highway, 89 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October); Wind River, 104 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October). 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)