Your nature year
Wausau, Wisconsinthrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Wausau?
The closest place we follow is Lakewood, 57 miles away, for fall foliage, usually well under way by early October (statewide). Wausau sits at about 1,330 feet. At NOAA's Wausau ASOS station, 2.6 miles away, the average first fall frost is Oct 4 and the last spring frost May 6, which leaves Wausau some 151 growing days. About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. The USA-NPN spring index puts first leaf here around Apr 20 and first bloom around May 19. We follow 5 places within 150 miles of Wausau; the nearest lies 57 miles to the northeast. Across Wisconsin, fall color is usually well under way by early 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)
Wausau's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~May 6 to ~Oct 4
- First leaf ~Apr 20
- First bloom ~May 19
- Fall color under way ~Oct 8 (WI)
- Today
Near Wausau right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by early October in WisconsinStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~10 days
- First fall frost usually around Oct 4 · last spring frost around May 6NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Wausau ASOS (2.6 mi, 50% dates)~6 days
- Fall foliage · Lakewood · 57 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
Wausau's nature year
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostMay
- Fall color (WI)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Lakewood · 57 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
- Chequamegon-Nicolet · 85 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
- Apostle Islands · 140 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~7 days
Snow in Wausau
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 7 (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 Wausau Wsaw Tv (1.6 mi away): 63 inches of snow in an average year, about 20 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 6
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 4
About 151 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 20
First bloom around May 19
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Wausau ASOS (2.6 mi from Wausau), 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 Wausau?
On average around Oct 4, and the last spring frost around May 6: about 151 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Wausau ASOS, 2.6 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Wausau?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 20 and first bloom around May 19, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Wausau?
Lakewood, 57 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October); Chequamegon-Nicolet, 85 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October); Apostle Islands, 140 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Wausau?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 7: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Wausau Wsaw Tv. An average year brings 63 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)