Your nature year
Richmond, Virginiathrough the year
Also for Petersburg, VA, Charlottesville, VA, Fredericksburg, VA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Richmond?
Richmond usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 3 and its first fall frost around Nov 4, a frost-free stretch of about 215 days at NOAA's Richmond International Airport station, 8.5 miles away. At roughly 74 feet, Richmond is about as low as towns get. Spring green-up reaches town around Mar 1, with first blooms around Apr 6. About 5 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. We follow 13 places within 150 miles of Richmond; the nearest lies 76 miles to the north. For a day trip, Occoquan Bay Refuge is 76 miles off; its fall foliage is Oct 21–31 (local timing). For wildflowers, the nearest is Shenandoah (86 mi, Mar 21–Jun 30 (local timing)). Across Virginia, 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)
Richmond's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 3 to ~Nov 4
- First leaf ~Mar 1
- First bloom ~Apr 6
- Fall color under way ~Oct 25 (VA)
- Today
Near Richmond right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in VirginiaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Nov 4 · last spring frost around Apr 3NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Richmond International Airport (8.5 mi, 50% dates)~5 weeks
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 99 mi · Local timing: May 21–Sep 30Wildflowers · in its window now
- Fall foliage · Occoquan Bay Refuge · 76 miLocal timing: Oct 21–31~3 weeks
Richmond's nature year
- Wildflowers · ShenandoahMar–Jun
- Cherry blossoms · Washington, DCMar–Apr
- Spring green-upMar
- Last spring frostApr
- Tulips · Washington, DCApr
- Fall color (VA)Oct
- First fall frostNov
Nearby, season by season
Cherry blossoms
- Washington, DC · 96 miusually Mar 25–Apr 7~6 months
- US National Arboretum · 99 miusually Mar 1–Apr 30~5 months
- Baltimore (Fort McHenry) · 130 miusually Mar 24–Apr 7~6 months
Fall foliage
- Occoquan Bay Refuge · 76 miLocal timing: Oct 21–31~3 weeks
- Great Dismal Swamp Refuge · 85 miLocal timing: Oct 21–31~3 weeks
- Shenandoah · 86 miusually Oct 8–21~10 days
Tulips
- Washington, DC · 96 miLocal timing: Apr 1–20~6 months
Wildflowers
- Shenandoah · 86 miLocal timing: Mar 21–Jun 30~6 months
- Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens · 99 miLocal timing: May 21–Sep 30
- Catoctin Mountain · 145 miLocal timing: Apr 1–May 31~6 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 3
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Nov 4
About 215 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Mar 1
First bloom around Apr 6
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Richmond International Airport (8.5 mi from Richmond), 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 Richmond?
On average around Nov 4, and the last spring frost around Apr 3: about 215 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Richmond International Airport, 8.5 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Richmond?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Mar 1 and first bloom around Apr 6, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see cherry blossoms near Richmond?
Washington, DC, 96 miles (usually Mar 25–Apr 7); US National Arboretum, 99 miles (usually Mar 1–Apr 30); Baltimore (Fort McHenry), 130 miles (usually Mar 24–Apr 7). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see fall foliage near Richmond?
Occoquan Bay Refuge, 76 miles (local timing: Oct 21–31); Great Dismal Swamp Refuge, 85 miles (local timing: Oct 21–31); Shenandoah, 86 miles (usually Oct 8–21). 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)