Growing Degree Days by State
The average growing-degree-day total across the US so far this year is 1679 GDD (base 50°F, accumulated since January 1), measured at 130 NOAA USCRN stations. Growing degree days count the heat a lawn has banked: 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. Every total here is measured, not modeled.
- Alabama2477 GDD
- Alaska92 GDD
- Arizona2868 GDD
- Arkansas2012 GDD
- California2058 GDD
- Colorado823 GDD
- Florida4003 GDD
- Georgia2812 GDD
- Idaho676 GDD
- Illinois1234 GDD
- Indiana1663 GDD
- Iowa1373 GDD
- Kansas1710 GDD
- Kentucky1756 GDD
- Louisiana3144 GDD
- Maine510 GDD
- Massachusetts978 GDD
- Michigan543 GDD
- Minnesota624 GDD
- Mississippi2155 GDD
- Missouri1789 GDD
- Montana383 GDD
- Nebraska1204 GDD
- Nevada1306 GDD
- New Hampshire802 GDD
- New Mexico1163 GDD
- New York856 GDD
- North Carolina1698 GDD
- North Dakota647 GDD
- Ohio1214 GDD
- Oklahoma1805 GDD
- Oregon656 GDD
- Pennsylvania1048 GDD
- Rhode Island796 GDD
- South Carolina2672 GDD
- South Dakota871 GDD
- Tennessee1523 GDD
- Texas3389 GDD
- Utah863 GDD
- Virginia1750 GDD
- Washington543 GDD
- West Virginia848 GDD
- Wisconsin994 GDD
- Wyoming445 GDD
New to the metric? Read what growing degree days are and how to use them for lawn-care timing. For current soil temperature, planting windows, and lawn-care timing, browse soil temperature by state or the live national soil temperature map.