Your nature year
Sun Prairie, Wisconsinthrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Sun Prairie?
Within 150 miles we follow 3 places, out to Lakewood 149 miles to the north. The closest place we follow is Necedah Refuge, 76 miles away, for spring migration, with May (local timing).
Lakewood (149 mi) is the pick for fall foliage, usually well under way by early October (statewide). Sun Prairie usually sees its last spring frost around May 1 and its first fall frost around Oct 10, a frost-free stretch of about 162 days at the Madison Dane Co Regional Airport weather station (6.1 mi). Spring green-up reaches town around Apr 12, with first blooms around May 12. The town is about 984 feet above sea level. Statewide, Wisconsin's fall color is usually well under way by early 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)
Sun Prairie's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~May 1 to ~Oct 10
- First leaf ~Apr 12
- First bloom ~May 12
- Fall color under way ~Oct 8 (WI)
- Today
Near Sun Prairie right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by early October in WisconsinStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~9 days
- First fall frost usually around Oct 10 · last spring frost around May 1NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Madison Dane Co Regional Airport (6.1 mi, 50% dates)~11 days
- Fall foliage · Lakewood · 149 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~6 days
Sun Prairie's nature year
- Apr: Spring green-upApr
- May: Last spring frostMay
- May: Spring migration · Necedah RefugeMay
- Oct: Fall color (WI)Oct
- Oct: First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Lakewood · 149 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~6 days
Spring migration
- Necedah Refuge · 76 miLocal timing: with May~7 months
- Trempealeau Refuge · 129 miLocal timing: late April or early May~7 months
Snow in Sun Prairie
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 Madison Dane Co Regional Airport (6.1 mi away): 52 inches of snow in an average year, about 14.9 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
May 1
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 10
About 162 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 12
First bloom around May 12
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Madison Dane Co Regional Airport (6.1 mi from Sun Prairie), 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 Sun Prairie?
On average around Oct 10, and the last spring frost around May 1: about 162 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Madison Dane Co Regional Airport, 6.1 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Sun Prairie?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 12 and first bloom around May 12, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Sun Prairie?
Lakewood, 149 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see spring migration near Sun Prairie?
Necedah Refuge, 76 miles (local timing: with May); Trempealeau Refuge, 129 miles (local timing: late April or early May). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Sun Prairie?
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 Madison Dane Co Regional Airport. 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 29)