Your nature year
Omaha, Nebraskathrough the year
Also for Bellevue, NE, Council Bluffs, IA, Papillion, NE: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Omaha?
DeSoto Refuge, 19 miles from Omaha, is the nearest winter wildlife spot on this site, early December, and again in late February and early March (local timing). Loess Bluffs Refuge (93 mi) is the pick for spring migration, from mid-February, peaking in mid-March (local timing).
Omaha usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 16 and its first fall frost around Oct 18, a frost-free stretch of about 185 days at the nearest NOAA station, Omaha #1. About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Spring green-up reaches town around Mar 30, with first blooms around Apr 28. Head north for the closest of the 2 places we follow around Omaha.
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)
Omaha's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 16 to ~Oct 18
- First leaf ~Mar 30
- First bloom ~Apr 28
- Today
Near Omaha right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 18 · last spring frost around Apr 16NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Omaha #1 (6.5 mi, 50% dates)~3 weeks
- Winter wildlife · DeSoto Refuge · 19 miLocal timing: early December, and again in late February and early March~2 months
Omaha's nature year
- Spring migration · Loess Bluffs RefugeFeb–Mar
- Mar: Spring green-upMar
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Oct: First fall frostOct
- Winter wildlife · DeSoto RefugeDec–Mar
Nearby, season by season
Spring migration
- Loess Bluffs Refuge · 93 miLocal timing: from mid-February, peaking in mid-March~5 months
Winter wildlife
- DeSoto Refuge · 19 miLocal timing: early December, and again in late February and early March~2 months
- Loess Bluffs Refuge · 93 miLocal timing: from mid-October, peaking in mid- to late November~2 weeks
Snow in Omaha
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 29 (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 Omaha Eppley Airfield (8.6 mi away): 27 inches of snow in an average year, about 8.4 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.
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 16
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 18
About 185 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 30
First bloom around Apr 28
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Omaha #1 (6.5 mi from Omaha), 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 Omaha?
On average around Oct 18, and the last spring frost around Apr 16: about 185 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Omaha #1, 6.5 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Omaha?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 30 and first bloom around Apr 28, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see spring migration near Omaha?
Loess Bluffs Refuge, 93 miles (local timing: from mid-February, peaking in mid-March). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see winter wildlife near Omaha?
DeSoto Refuge, 19 miles (local timing: early December, and again in late February and early March); Loess Bluffs Refuge, 93 miles (local timing: from mid-October, peaking in mid- to late November). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Omaha?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 29: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Omaha Eppley Airfield. An average year brings 27 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)