Your nature year
West Bend, Wisconsinthrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to West Bend?
West Bend usually sees its last spring frost around May 1 and its first fall frost around Oct 12, a frost-free stretch of about 164 days at the W Bend Public Works weather station (0.8 mi). Leaves usually come out around Apr 16 and the first flowers around May 16.
Spring takes about 4 weeks to go from leaf to bloom. We follow 4 places within 150 miles of West Bend; the nearest lies 24 miles to the northwest. For a day trip, Horicon Refuge is 24 miles off; its wildlife by season is fall (local timing). For fall foliage, the nearest is Necedah Refuge (109 mi, October (usually)). Across Wisconsin, fall color is usually well under way by early October.
Updated Oct 2. 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)
Near West Bend right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by early October in WisconsinStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~6 days
- First fall frost usually around Oct 12 · last spring frost around May 1NOAA 1991–2020 normals, W Bend Public Works (0.8 mi, 50% dates)~10 days
- Necedah Refuge · 109 mi · Usually: OctoberFall foliage · in its window nowIn season
- Horicon Refuge · 24 mi · Local timing: fallWildlife by season · in its window nowIn season
- Spring migration · Necedah Refuge · 109 miLocal timing: May~7 months
Nearest places to West Bend
- Horicon RefugeWildlife refugeLocal timing: fall24 mi
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Necedah Refuge · 109 miUsually: OctoberIn season
- Lakewood · 131 miStatewide: usually well under way by early October~3 days
- Indiana Dunes · 137 miusually around mid-October~9 days
Spring migration
- Necedah Refuge · 109 miLocal timing: May~7 months
Wildflowers
- Necedah Refuge · 109 miLocal timing: June through August~8 months
- Indiana Dunes · 137 miUsually: Most years, the wildflowers peak from late April through mid-May~7 months
Wildlife by season
- Horicon Refuge · 24 miLocal timing: fallIn season
West Bend's nature year
- Apr: Spring green-upApr
- May: Last spring frostMay
- May: Spring migration · Necedah RefugeMay
- Wildflowers · Necedah RefugeJun–Aug
- Wildlife by season · Horicon RefugeNowSep–Nov
- Oct: Fall color (WI)NowOct
- Oct: First fall frostNowOct
West Bend's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~May 1 to ~Oct 12
- First leaf ~Apr 16
- First bloom ~May 16
- Fall color under way ~Oct 8 (WI)
- Today
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
May 1
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 12
About 164 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 16
First bloom around May 16
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at W Bend Public Works (0.8 mi from West Bend), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Snow in West Bend
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 23 (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 Germantown Wastewater Utility (12.7 mi away): 54 inches of snow in an average year, about 15.6 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.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in West Bend?
On average around Oct 12, and the last spring frost around May 1: about 164 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at W Bend Public Works, 0.8 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach West Bend?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 16 and first bloom around May 16, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near West Bend?
Necedah Refuge, 109 miles (usually: October); Lakewood, 131 miles (statewide: usually well under way by early October); Indiana Dunes, 137 miles (usually around mid-October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see spring migration near West Bend?
Necedah Refuge, 109 miles (local timing: May). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in West Bend?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 23: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Germantown Wastewater Utility. An average year brings 54 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) (Oct 2)