Your nature year
Worcester, Massachusettsthrough the year
Also for Woonsocket, RI, Leominster, MA, Marlborough, MA, Fitchburg, MA, Franklin Town, MA: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Worcester?
The closest place we follow is Assabet River Refuge, 20 miles away, for fall foliage, usually at its best Oct 11–20. The town is about 495 feet above sea level. At NOAA's Worcester station, 3.3 miles away, the average first fall frost is Oct 21 and the last spring frost Apr 23, which leaves Worcester some 181 growing days. About 4 weeks pass between first leaf and first bloom here. Leaves usually come out around Apr 11 and the first flowers around May 10. Within 150 miles we follow 18 places, out to Western Catskills 146 miles to the west. Statewide, Massachusetts' fall color is usually well under way by mid-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)
Worcester's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Apr 23 to ~Oct 21
- First leaf ~Apr 11
- First bloom ~May 10
- Fall color under way ~Oct 18 (MA)
- Today
Near Worcester right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by mid-October in MassachusettsStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~3 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Oct 21 · last spring frost around Apr 23NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Worcester (3.3 mi, 50% dates)~3 weeks
- Fall foliage · Assabet River Refuge · 20 miusually Oct 11–20~13 days
Worcester's nature year
- Spring green-upApr
- Last spring frostApr
- Fall color (MA)Oct
- First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Assabet River Refuge · 20 miusually Oct 11–20~13 days
- Fort River Division · 40 miusually Oct 11–20~13 days
- Parker River Refuge · 63 miLocal timing: Oct 11–31~13 days
Snow in Worcester
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 29 (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 Worcester (3.3 mi away): 73 inches of snow in an average year, about 16.3 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
Apr 23
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 21
About 181 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 11
First bloom around May 10
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Worcester (3.3 mi from Worcester), 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 Worcester?
On average around Oct 21, and the last spring frost around Apr 23: about 181 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Worcester, 3.3 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Worcester?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 11 and first bloom around May 10, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Worcester?
Assabet River Refuge, 20 miles (usually Oct 11–20); Fort River Division, 40 miles (usually Oct 11–20); Parker River Refuge, 63 miles (local timing: Oct 11–31). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Worcester?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 29: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Worcester. An average year brings 73 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)