Current soil temperature: 92°F at the 2-inch depth, 2.4°F above the historical average for this date. Modeled estimate for July 4, 2026; the nearest sensor station is more than 75 miles away. Rising 2.9°F over the last 7 days.
MODELED · OPEN-METEO ERA5-LAND
92°F
2.4 degrees above historical average of 90 degrees Fahrenheit▲ +2.4°F vs. historical avg (90°F)·↗ Rising 2.9°F over 7 days
2-inch depth (5 cm)
Confidence:Low
No sensor station within 75 miles.This reading is a modeled estimate from Open-Meteo's ERA5-Land archive.
A foliar iron spray darkens the lawn's color without forcing the leaf growth a nitrogen feeding would, which is exactly what summer-stressed turf needs. Iron is taken up directly through the leaves, so results show in days rather than weeks. Shallow soil temperatures are in the action band at 92°F at 2 inches from the Open-Meteo ERA5-Land modeled estimate.
Details for Summer iron (foliar) application
Confidence
MODERATE CONFIDENCE
Additional detail
Trigger: 2-inch soil holds 70°F
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5-Land modeled estimate
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5-Land modeled estimate
Pest Watch
IN WINDOW
Fall armyworm watch
Fall armyworms can strip a healthy lawn down to brown stems in days once the caterpillars are large enough to feed actively. Migration patterns make outbreaks unpredictable; watching for the first signs in late summer means you can treat before the damage is done. Shallow soil temperatures are in the action band at 92°F at 2 inches from the Open-Meteo ERA5-Land modeled estimate.
Cool-season grass slips into protective summer dormancy when soil dries out, and prolonged dormancy can kill the crown. A deep weekly soak (about an inch of water) keeps the crown alive without encouraging shallow roots the way light, daily watering would. Shallow soil temperatures are in the action band at 92°F at 2 inches from the Open-Meteo ERA5-Land modeled estimate.
Details for Summer drought-stress watering (cool-season)
Confidence
MODERATE CONFIDENCE
Additional detail
Trigger: 2-inch soil holds 80°F
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5-Land modeled estimate
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5-Land modeled estimate
Daily Soil Temperature (Estimated)
Depth: 2" • 28 days of data • Estimated, Open-Meteo
Showing chart
Reference Station (data unavailable)
Stephenville (Site 2203), TX
Distance: 89 miles from Dallas, TX
Elevation: 1311 ft
Coordinates: 32.2454, -98.1956
Estimated Soil Temperatures
7-day soil temperature readings
Date
2" °F
Δ 2"
8" °F
20" °F
Jul 4
91.9
↑ +1.6
89.1
83.4
Jul 3
90.3
↑ +0.9
88.0
83.1
Jul 2
89.4
↑ +1.1
87.3
82.8
Jul 1
88.3
↓ -0.6
86.8
82.6
Jun 30
88.9
↓ -0.7
87.3
82.3
Jun 29
89.6
↑ +0.6
87.3
81.9
Jun 28
89.0
—
86.8
81.5
Soil temperature by depth
91.9°F
2 in · germination
89.1°F
8 in · deeper trend
83.4°F
20 in · deep soil
Estimated soil temperatures for this location provided by Open-Meteo.
Check the current soil temp at your location, or open the live US soil temperature mapto see today’s ground readings from 380+ USDA and NOAA stations across the country. Enter your ZIP code for live soil temperatures near you, plus planting windows, pre-emergent timing, fertilizer guidance, and disease watch alerts for your area.
How Soil Temperature Drives Lawn Timing
About the Data
Readings refresh nightly from the USDA-NRCS Soil Climate Analysis Network and the NOAA US Climate Reference Network (USCRN). Where no station is within 75 miles, readings are modeled estimates from Open-Meteo’s ERA5-Land archive rather than direct sensor measurements; see how we measure. Planting windows are derived from multi-year climatology overlaid with NOAA 1991–2020 frost normals. Recommendation cards evaluate current soil conditions against research-backed thresholds from university extension sources. Check back regularly as conditions change. The guidance updates with every new reading.
Data sources: USDA-NRCS SCAN network, NOAA USCRN, NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, and localized frost climatology via Soil Temps analytics.
Ideal conditions for cool-season grass. As of July 4, the 2-inch soil temperature is running 2°F above the 10-year normal for this date. With an average first frost of October 22 and an elevation of 1,311 feet, your fall seeding window timing is shaped by both soil temperature trends and frost risk. Zone 8b soils rarely stay below the 55°F pre-emergent threshold for long, so monitoring for early crabgrass flush is critical. No federal soil station is close enough for direct readings, so values here are modeled from the nearest Open-Meteo grid cell. Use as a directional guide.
For established lawns and gardens, the 4 inch soil temperature is a more useful reading than the surface. This 4-inch root-zone depth changes more slowly than the 2-inch surface layer, so it is a steadier signal for timing fertilizer, aeration, and weed control. The depths your nearest station reports are shown above; stations in the federal network typically report 2, 4, 8, 20, and 40 inches, while modeled estimates for areas far from a station cover fewer depths.
What soil temperature is needed to plant grass seed?
Cool-season grasses like fescue and bluegrass germinate best when soil at 2 inches stays between 50–65°F for several consecutive days. Warm-season grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia need soil temperatures of 65–70°F or higher before seeding.
How deep should I measure soil temperature?
Use 2 inches for germination decisions, since that is where seeds sit. Use the 4 inch soil temperature for established lawn and garden timing: it reads the root zone, changes more slowly than the surface, and is the depth most fertilizer, aeration, and disease guidance references. The 8 inch reading shows deeper root-zone trend. The 20 and 40 inch readings track deep soil and frost depth where federal stations report them.
What does the 4 inch soil temperature mean?
The 4 inch soil temperature shows conditions deeper in the root zone than the 2 inch germination reading. It is commonly used for established lawn, garden, and agricultural timing because it changes more slowly than the surface layer, so it is a steadier signal for fertilizer, aeration, and weed-control decisions.
What’s the difference between soil temperature and air temperature?
Soil changes temperature much more slowly than air due to thermal mass. A warm afternoon does not mean the ground is warm. Soil temperature lags air temperature by days or weeks, making it a more reliable indicator of when biological processes like germination actually begin.
When should I apply pre-emergent based on soil temperature?
Apply pre-emergent herbicide when soil at 2 inches reaches 55°F for several consecutive days. This is the threshold where crabgrass and other summer annual weeds begin germinating. Applying after this point reduces effectiveness significantly.
What is a USDA Plant Hardiness Zone?
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones divide the US into 13 zones based on average annual extreme minimum temperature. They help determine which plants and grasses can survive winter in your area. Zone numbers increase from coldest (1a) to warmest (13b).
Grass seed germination
Your soil near Dallas, TX: 92°F at 2 inches, as of July 4, 2026. Modeled estimate.
The weekly target includes rainfall, so irrigation only covers the deficit. Water deeply and infrequently rather than a little every day: shallow daily watering builds shallow roots and invites disease. Above 85°F, a cool-season lawn can also stay dormant on about 1/2 inch every 2-3 weeks, just enough to keep the crowns alive. Rainfall is a modeled forecast estimate for this location.
The 7-day forecast near Dallas, TX favors active disease pressure. These diseases are the ones to watch now. Based on a modeled weather estimate for this location.
7 of the next 7 nights stay above 68°F with hot days; worse with excess nitrogen. Water only 4-8 AM so blades dry by evening, ease off quick-release nitrogen, and improve airflow.
7 of the next 7 nights stay above 65°F with hot days; worse with excess nitrogen. Water early morning to limit leaf wetness, hold nitrogen to 0.25 lb/1,000 sq ft, and fix drainage in low spots. The fastest killer, 2-3 days.
3,341GDD (base 50°F) since January 1, through July 2
92°Fcurrent soil temperature
Growing degree days measure the heat a lawn has accumulated this year: each day adds the amount its average temperature runs above 50°F, the point where cool-season growth and most pests get going. Turf managers use the running total to time crabgrass pre-emergent, annual bluegrass seedhead suppression, and grub control. Pairing it with the current soil temperature shows both the season's heat so far and what the ground is doing right now. Measured at the USCRN station Palestine 6 WNW.
