Your nature year
Shelbyville, Tennesseethrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Shelbyville?
Spring green-up reaches town around Feb 23, with first blooms around Mar 31. Spring takes about 5 weeks to go from leaf to bloom.
Shelbyville usually sees its last spring frost around Apr 7 and its first fall frost around Oct 29, a frost-free stretch of about 205 days at the Shelbyville Water Dept weather station (1.9 mi). Natchez Trace Parkway, 60 miles from Shelbyville, is the nearest fall foliage spot on this site, mid- to late October (local timing). Wheeler Refuge (72 mi) is the pick for wildflowers, April (usually). We follow 8 places within 150 miles of Shelbyville; the nearest lies 60 miles to the west. Across Tennessee, fall color is usually well under way by late October.
Updated Sep 29. 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)
Shelbyville's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 7 to ~Oct 29
- First leaf ~Feb 23
- First bloom ~Mar 31
- Fall color under way ~Oct 21 (TN)
- Today
Near Shelbyville right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in TennesseeStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~3 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Oct 29 · last spring frost around Apr 7NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Shelbyville Water Dept (1.9 mi, 50% dates)~4 weeks
- Fall foliage · Natchez Trace Parkway · 60 miLocal timing: mid- to late October~12 days
Shelbyville's nature year
- Jan: Winter wildlife · Tennessee RefugeJan
- Feb: Spring green-upFeb
- Apr: Last spring frostApr
- Apr: Wildflowers · Wheeler RefugeApr
- Oct: Fall color (TN)Oct
- Oct: First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Natchez Trace Parkway · 60 miLocal timing: mid- to late October~12 days
- Little River Canyon · 90 miusually late October and early November~3 weeks
- Mammoth Cave · 118 miLocal timing: starting in late October~3 weeks
Wildflowers
- Wheeler Refuge · 72 miUsually: April~6 months
Winter wildlife
- Tennessee Refuge · 110 miLocal timing: early January~3 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Apr 7
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 29
About 205 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Feb 23
First bloom around Mar 31
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Shelbyville Water Dept (1.9 mi from Shelbyville), 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 Shelbyville?
On average around Oct 29, and the last spring frost around Apr 7: about 205 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Shelbyville Water Dept, 1.9 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Shelbyville?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 23 and first bloom around Mar 31, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Shelbyville?
Natchez Trace Parkway, 60 miles (local timing: mid- to late October); Little River Canyon, 90 miles (usually late October and early November); Mammoth Cave, 118 miles (local timing: starting in late October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Shelbyville?
Wheeler Refuge, 72 miles (usually: April). 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 29)