Week of April 19—25th 2026
Rolla, Missouri
This Week in the Ozarks
A steady warming trend has settled in after last week’s brief cool-down, with afternoon highs now consistently reaching the upper 60s to low 70s. Mornings still carry a light chill, especially in low-lying hollows, but the sharp edge of frost risk is easing. Soil surfaces are drying between intermittent rains, and footpaths are beginning to firm.
Tree canopy is in a transitional phase. Serviceberry has largely passed, while redbud is thinning and dogwood is moving into fuller expression along field edges and wooded slopes. Oaks are leafing out unevenly—white oaks just beginning, while black oaks show more developed leaf clusters.
Grasses are pushing steadily upward, especially in open pasture. In shaded areas, the ground layer remains patchy but active. Mosses are bright and saturated where moisture lingers, particularly along north-facing rock exposures.
Evening sound now carries farther — insects beginning to form a low, steady layer beneath frog calls, especially near standing water. The shift from early spring quiet to a more continuous ambient sound is underway.
📅 Almanac – Rolla, Missouri
Date Range: April 19–25, 2026
Sunrise (start of week): 6:18 AM
Sunset (start of week): 7:49 PM
Daylength: 13h 31m
Daylength Change: +14 minutes over the week
Average High: 69°F
Average Low: 46°F
Forecast Trend:
Gradual warming with highs 68–75°F; lows 45–52°F. One to two scattered rain events midweek. No sustained cold pattern indicated.Frost Risk:
Low. Isolated patch risk in sheltered valleys only.Precipitation (recent 7 days): ~0.6–1.0 inches (variable by location)
If you step outside this week:
Look along field edges for dogwood just hitting full bloom — it’s peaking right now.
What’s Blooming
Flowering dogwood expanding across woodland margins
Wild violets holding steady in shaded lawns and edges
Spring beauties fading in sunnier exposures
Henbit and chickweed still present but beginning to thin
Early fleabane just starting to appear in disturbed ground
One Wildlife Moment - Carolina wrens
A Carolina wren moving along a brush pile or low fence line, tail held upright, issuing short, insistent calls. They are active throughout the day now, often investigating cavities and crevices. Watch for quick, darting movements rather than sustained flight.
One Animal Moment
A three-toed box turtle crossing a gravel road or emerging from leaf litter in mid-morning warmth. Movement is slow but deliberate. Individuals are often seen after rain or on the first clear, warm day following moisture.
Backyard Nature & What to Plant
Soil temperatures are approaching a consistent cool-season planting range. The top few inches are workable in most areas, though deeper layers may still hold moisture.
Direct sow outdoors:
Lettuce
Spinach
Radishes
Carrots (in well-worked soil)
Transplant or set out:
Brassicas (broccoli, cabbage)
Onion sets
Hold on:
Tomatoes, peppers, and warm-season crops—still best to wait another 1–2 weeks for stable overnight temperatures.
Mulch lightly where soil is drying too quickly, but avoid sealing in excess moisture in shaded beds.
Dirt Under Fingernails Notes
First consistent insect hum noticeable at dusk this week
Redbud petals beginning to collect along fence lines and ditches
Chert more visible in freshly disturbed soil after recent rains
Grass growth now outpacing early weeds in open areas
Evening air holding warmth slightly longer past sunset than last week
Here are seasonally grounded options for mid–late April in the central Missouri Ozarks. These lean on typical phenology around Rolla—leaf-out underway, insects emerging, and spring migration still active.
Seasonal Log – Rolla, Missouri (2026)
First 60°F Day: February 23
First 70°F Day: March 14
First Redbud Bloom: Early April (now past peak)
First Hummingbird Sighting: Reported locally (mid-April arrival window)First Lettuce Germination (outdoor): Likely occurring now in sunny beds
Last Frost (spring 2026): Likely passed, but not guaranteed (historical window closing now)
Cumulative Rainfall (since Jan 1) Spring patterns active, tracking begins next issue
Coming Into Season
Next week: early edible greens begin to peak — we’ll start tracking what’s actually worth gathering.
Field Note (New)
I’ve been building a simple Ozark foraging guide — something practical, seasonal, and grounded in what’s actually showing up week by week.
Not quite ready yet.
But we’ll start tracking a few things here soon.
This Week, If You Only Do One Thing
Walk a fence line or brush edge at mid-morning. Watch for movement before form.