Your nature year
Winston-Salem, North Carolinathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Winston-Salem?
Leaves usually come out around Feb 24 and the first flowers around Apr 1. Frost usually lets go around Mar 26 and comes back around Nov 9, according to NOAA's Winston Salem Reynolds Airport station, 2.9 miles away: roughly 228 days without it. Across North Carolina, fall color is usually well under way by mid-October. Head northwest for the closest of the 3 places we follow around Winston-Salem. The closest place we follow is George Washington and Jefferson, 88 miles away, for fall foliage, usually at its best Oct 11–31. George Washington and Jefferson (88 mi) is the pick for wildflowers, Mar 21–May 31 (local timing). At some 794 feet up, Winston-Salem is on low ground.
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
- Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina · 122 mi · Fall foliage
Usually Oct 1–31
Sat Oct 3: Chance Rain Showers, 64°F · Sun Oct 4: Rain Showers Likely, 59°F
No report yet
Places in their own usual window that weekend; reports are the latest official ones, forecasts from the National Weather Service.
Winston-Salem's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Mar 26 to ~Nov 9
- First leaf ~Feb 24
- First bloom ~Apr 1
- Fall color under way ~Oct 18 (NC)
- Today
Near Winston-Salem right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in North CarolinaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~3 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Nov 9 · last spring frost around Mar 26NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Winston Salem Reynolds Airport (2.9 mi, 50% dates)~6 weeks
- Fall foliage · George Washington and Jefferson · 88 miusually Oct 11–31~13 days
Winston-Salem's nature year
- Spring green-upFeb
- Wildflowers · George Washington and JeffersonMar–May
- Last spring frostMar
- Fall color (NC)Oct
- First fall frostNov
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- George Washington and Jefferson · 88 miusually Oct 11–31~13 days
- Blue Ridge Parkway · 122 miusually Oct 1–31~3 days
- Pisgah National Forest · 149 miStatewide: usually well under way by mid-October~2 weeks
Wildflowers
- George Washington and Jefferson · 88 miLocal timing: Mar 21–May 31~6 months
- Blue Ridge Parkway · 122 miusually Apr 21–May 10~7 months
- Pisgah National Forest · 149 miLocal timing: Mar 21–May 15~6 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Mar 26
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Nov 9
About 228 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Feb 24
First bloom around Apr 1
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Winston Salem Reynolds Airport (2.9 mi from Winston-Salem), 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 Winston-Salem?
On average around Nov 9, and the last spring frost around Mar 26: about 228 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Winston Salem Reynolds Airport, 2.9 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Winston-Salem?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Feb 24 and first bloom around Apr 1, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Winston-Salem?
George Washington and Jefferson, 88 miles (usually Oct 11–31); Blue Ridge Parkway, 122 miles (usually Oct 1–31); Pisgah National Forest, 149 miles (statewide: usually well under way by mid-October). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Winston-Salem?
George Washington and Jefferson, 88 miles (local timing: Mar 21–May 31); Blue Ridge Parkway, 122 miles (usually Apr 21–May 10); Pisgah National Forest, 149 miles (local timing: Mar 21–May 15). 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 28)