Your nature year
Reading, Pennsylvaniathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Reading?
Expect about 198 frost-free days in Reading: the last spring frost usually comes around Apr 14, the first fall one around Oct 29, going by NOAA's Reading Regional Airport station 2.9 miles away. Reading sits at about 270 feet. Leaves usually come out around Mar 28 and the first flowers around Apr 27. Spring takes about 4 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. Within 150 miles we follow 24 places, out to Ithaca 148 miles to the north. The closest place we follow is Delaware Water Gap, 60 miles away, for fall foliage, usually well under way by late October (statewide). Bombay Hook (79 mi) is the pick for wildflowers, Apr 1–May 31 (local timing). Across Pennsylvania, 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)
Reading's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 14 to ~Oct 29
- First leaf ~Mar 28
- First bloom ~Apr 27
- Fall color under way ~Oct 25 (PA)
- Today
Near Reading right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in PennsylvaniaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Oct 29 · last spring frost around Apr 14NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Reading Regional Airport (2.9 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 113 mi · Local timing: May 21–Sep 30Wildflowers · in its window now
- Fall foliage · Delaware Water Gap · 60 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
Reading's nature year
- Cherry blossoms · Baltimore (Fort McHenry)Mar–Apr
- Spring green-upMar
- Wildflowers · Bombay HookApr–May
- Last spring frostApr
- Tulips · Washington, DCApr
- Fall color (PA)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Cherry blossoms
- Baltimore (Fort McHenry) · 82 miusually Mar 24–Apr 7~6 months
- US National Arboretum · 114 miusually Mar 1–Apr 30~5 months
- Washington, DC · 117 miusually Mar 25–Apr 7~6 months
Fall foliage
- Delaware Water Gap · 60 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~3 weeks
- Cherry Valley Refuge · 61 miusually Oct 21–31~3 weeks
- Catoctin Mountain · 93 miStatewide: usually well under way by late October~4 weeks
Tulips
- Washington, DC · 117 miLocal timing: Apr 1–20~6 months
Wildflowers
- Bombay Hook · 79 miLocal timing: Apr 1–May 31~6 months
- Catoctin Mountain · 93 miLocal timing: Apr 1–May 31~6 months
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 113 miLocal timing: May 21–Sep 30
Snow in Reading
Snow usually becomes possible around Jan 11 (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 Morgantown (12.7 mi away): 26 inches of snow in an average year, about 7.8 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 14
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 29
About 198 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 28
First bloom around Apr 27
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Reading Regional Airport (2.9 mi from Reading), 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 Reading?
On average around Oct 29, and the last spring frost around Apr 14: about 198 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Reading Regional Airport, 2.9 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Reading?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 28 and first bloom around Apr 27, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see cherry blossoms near Reading?
Baltimore (Fort McHenry), 82 miles (usually Mar 24–Apr 7); US National Arboretum, 114 miles (usually Mar 1–Apr 30); Washington, DC, 117 miles (usually Mar 25–Apr 7). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see fall foliage near Reading?
Delaware Water Gap, 60 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October); Cherry Valley Refuge, 61 miles (usually Oct 21–31); Catoctin Mountain, 93 miles (statewide: usually well under way by late October). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Reading?
Snow usually becomes possible around Jan 11: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Morgantown. An average year brings 26 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) (Sep 28)