The typical common cold incubation period is from two to five days. 8-12 hours.
Common cold accompanied by fever is usually caused by influenza virus. The incubation period of influenza virus depends on the severity of the attack that can be as short as 1 day to a stretched period of 7 days. However, the approximate incubation period is in the range of 1-3 days when caused by influenza virus. Author Login. The incubation period of a cold ranges between 2-4 days, depending upon the severity of the viral attack. In some cases, it can be as short as 10 hours of infection and as long as 5-7 days. Read the article to know the details. The incubation period for a common cold depends on the kind of virus it's caused by. The incubation period is at least two days and up to a week or two weeks depending on the cause. Three weeks is too long as an incubation period for a common cold. The incubation period is usually a few days in most people, but it can be up to a week. If you had said two weeks, then I would have said maybe, but I doubt that you picked up the cold from your friend. From the time a cold virus enters the nose, it takes 8-12 hours for the viral reproductive cycle to be completed and for new cold virus to be released in nasal secretions. (13) This interval is called the incubation period. Cold symptoms can also begin shortly after virus is first produced in the nose (10-12 hours). (13) The time from the beginning of the infection to the peak of symptoms is typically 36-72 hours. The symptoms of a common cold include sneezing, runny nose, nasal obstruction, sore or scratchy throat, cough, hoarseness, and mild general symptoms like headache, feverishness, chilliness, and not feeling well in general. (1, 2). Colds last on average for one week. Facts about the Common Cold Incubation Period. By Patsy Hamilton | Cold | Rating: The typical common cold incubation period is from two to five days, but symptoms can appear in as little as ten hours after the virus first enters the nose. The range of the common cold incubation period may be explained by the number of different viruses that can cause common cold symptoms. Confidence votes 40.4K. The incubation period of the common cold is typically 36 to 48 hours, but, in some cases, symptoms can arise within 12 hours, or slightly less, of catching the virus. From the time a cold virus enters the nose, it takes 8-12 hours for the viral reproductive cycle to be completed and for new cold virions to be shed (released) in nasal secretions. This time period is called the incubation period. A cold is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus called rhinovirus. The common cold incubation period varies greatly from one person to the next. Symptoms can appear in just a few hours or as long as 10 days after exposure. The average incubation period is one to three days. Three weeks is too long as an incubation period for a common cold. The incubation period is usually a few days in most people, but it can be up to a week. If you had said two weeks, then I would have said maybe, but I doubt that you picked up the cold from your friend. Incubation Period. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the rhinovirus accounts for 30 percent to 50 percent of all cases of the common cold. It has a typical incubation period of 10 to 12 hours. In contrast, the influenza virus has an incubation period of one day to a week. 
http://www.ibuzzle.com/articles/incubation-period-for-a-cold.html http://www.wisegeekhealth.com/how-long-is-the-common-cold-incubation-period.htm http://www.commoncold.org/understand.htm http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/6125/1/Facts-about-the-Common-Cold-Incubation-Period.html http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_incubation_period_of_common_cold http://www.wisegeekhealth.com/how-long-is-the-common-cold-incubation-period.htm http://www.ehow.com/facts_5641686_incubation-period-common-cold_.html
incubation time for cold