Your nature year
Rochester, Minnesotathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Rochester?
Within 150 miles we follow 3 places, out to Saint Croix Riverway 98 miles to the north. The closest place we follow is Minnesota Valley Refuge, 68 miles away, for wildflowers, Jun 1–Aug 31 (local timing). For fall foliage, the nearest is Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul (72 mi, usually Sep 24–Oct 7). Frost usually lets go around Apr 30 and comes back around Oct 6, according to the nearest NOAA station, Rochester International Airport: roughly 159 days without it. Spring green-up reaches town around Apr 17, with first blooms around May 14. At some 1,100 feet up, Rochester is on higher ground than most towns in the region. Across Minnesota, fall color is usually well under way by mid-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
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 72 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Sep 24–Oct 7
Sat Oct 3: Mostly Sunny, 65°F · Sun Oct 4: Sunny, 61°F
No report yet
Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service.
Rochester's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 30 to ~Oct 6
- First leaf ~Apr 17
- First bloom ~May 14
- Fall color under way ~Oct 11 (MN)
- Today
Near Rochester right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in MinnesotaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~13 days
- First fall frost usually around Oct 6 · last spring frost around Apr 30NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Rochester International Airport (7.7 mi, 50% dates)~8 days
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 72 mi · usually Sep 24–Oct 7Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley Refuge · 68 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Rochester's nature year
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostApr
- Wildflowers · Minnesota Valley RefugeJun–Aug
- Fall color (MN)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul · 72 miusually Sep 24–Oct 7
- Saint Croix Riverway · 98 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
Wildflowers
- Minnesota Valley Refuge · 68 miLocal timing: Jun 1–Aug 31~8 months
Snow in Rochester
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 12 (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 Rochester Airport 2ne (5.6 mi away): 52 inches of snow in an average year, about 15.2 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 30
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 6
About 159 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 17
First bloom around May 14
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Rochester International Airport (7.7 mi from Rochester), 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 Rochester?
On average around Oct 6, and the last spring frost around Apr 30: about 159 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Rochester International Airport, 7.7 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Rochester?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 17 and first bloom around May 14, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Rochester?
Mississippi River, Minneapolis–St. Paul, 72 miles (usually Sep 24–Oct 7); Saint Croix Riverway, 98 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Rochester?
Minnesota Valley Refuge, 68 miles (local timing: Jun 1–Aug 31). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Rochester?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 12: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Rochester Airport 2ne. An average year brings 52 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)