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Your nature year

Raleigh, North Carolinathrough the year

Also for Durham, NC, Cary, NC, Apex, NC, Wake Forest, NC, Holly Springs, NC, Fuquay-Varina, NC, Garner, NC, Morrisville, NC, Clayton, NC: the same nearby places.

When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Raleigh?

Leaves usually come out around Feb 18 and the first flowers around Mar 27. Raleigh usually sees its last spring frost around Mar 28 and its first fall frost around Nov 8, a frost-free stretch of about 225 days at NOAA's Raleigh State Univ station, 4.3 miles away.

Across North Carolina, fall color is usually well under way by mid-October. Head southwest for the closest of the 3 places we follow around Raleigh. Pee Dee Refuge, 98 miles from Raleigh, is the nearest fall foliage spot on this site, Sep 1–Nov 30 (local timing). Pocosin Lakes Refuge (117 mi) is the pick for winter wildlife, Nov 1–Feb 28 (local timing). Raleigh sits at about 308 feet.

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)

Raleigh's year at a glance

  • Frost possible
  • Frost-free, ~Mar 28 to ~Nov 8
  • First leaf ~Feb 18
  • First bloom ~Mar 27
  • Fall color under way ~Oct 18 (NC)
  • Today

Near Raleigh right now

  • Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in North CarolinaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast
    ~3 weeks
  • First fall frost usually around Nov 8 · last spring frost around Mar 28NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Raleigh State Univ (4.3 mi, 50% dates)
    ~6 weeks
  • Pee Dee Refuge · 98 mi · Local timing: Sep 1–Nov 30Fall foliage · in its window now
    In season
  • Winter wildlife · Pocosin Lakes Refuge · 117 miLocal timing: Nov 1–Feb 28
    ~5 weeks

Raleigh's nature year

From the town's own dates and its nearest places
  • Spring green-upFeb
  • Last spring frostMar
  • Fall color (NC)Oct
  • First fall frostNov
  • Winter wildlife · Pocosin Lakes RefugeNov–Feb

Nearby, season by season

Real places within 150 miles, straight-line

Fall foliage

Winter wildlife

Frost and green-up

Last spring frost

Mar 28

Average (50% date)

First fall frost

Nov 8

About 225 days without frost between

Spring green-up

Feb 18

First bloom around Mar 27

Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Raleigh State Univ (4.3 mi from Raleigh), 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 Raleigh?

On average around Nov 8, and the last spring frost around Mar 28: about 225 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Raleigh State Univ, 4.3 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).

When does spring green-up reach Raleigh?

The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 18 and first bloom around Mar 27, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.

Where can I see fall foliage near Raleigh?

Pee Dee Refuge, 98 miles (local timing: Sep 1–Nov 30); Great Dismal Swamp Refuge, 132 miles (local timing: Oct 21–31). Distances are straight-line.

Where can I see winter wildlife near Raleigh?

Pocosin Lakes Refuge, 117 miles (local timing: Nov 1–Feb 28). 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)

All our sources and how we use them →