Growing Degree Days in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has accumulated about 994 GDD so far this year (base 50°F, since January 1), averaged across 1 NOAA USCRN station. Through July 1, 2026.
How to Read This Number
Growing degree days count accumulated heat: 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, plant growth regulator reapplication, and grub control. Treat it as a timing signal read against a model, not a fixed date. The total here is measured air temperature from NOAA USCRN stations, base 50°F, accumulated from January 1 — state the model whenever you compare totals, because a different base or start date is not interchangeable.
USCRN Stations in Wisconsin (1)
| Station | GDD (base 50°F) | Through |
|---|---|---|
| Necedah 5 WNW | 994 | 2026-07-01 |
Cities in Wisconsin (33)
Each city page pairs its local growing-degree-day total with the current soil temperature from the nearest monitoring station.
- Appleton
- Beloit
- Brookfield
- Chippewa Falls
- Dodgeville
- Eau Claire
- Fond Du Lac
- Green Bay
- Iola
- Janesville
- Kenosha
- La Crosse
- Madison
- Manitowoc
- Marshfield
- Menomonee Falls
- Milwaukee
- Neenah
- New Berlin
- New Holstein
- Oshkosh
- Racine
- Randolph
- Reedsburg
- Sheboygan
- Silver Lake
- Stevens Point
- Sun Prairie
- Watertown
- Waukesha
- Wausau
- West Bend
- Wisconsin Rapids
Growing Degree Days FAQ for Wisconsin
How many growing degree days has Wisconsin accumulated this year?
Wisconsin has accumulated about 994 growing degree days (base 50°F, since January 1), averaged across 1 NOAA USCRN station. The total climbs through summer and levels off as temperatures fall.
What base temperature and start date are these totals?
These are base 50°F growing degree days accumulated from January 1, the turf-industry convention. Each day adds the amount its average air temperature runs above 50°F, floored at zero. Totals from a different base or start date are not interchangeable, so the model is stated explicitly wherever a number appears.
What are growing degree days used for in lawn care?
Turf managers track the running total to time temperature-driven tasks: crabgrass pre-emergent before germination, annual bluegrass seedhead suppression, plant growth regulator reapplication, and grub control. Growing degree days are a timing signal read against a model, not a fixed calendar date.
See growing degree days for every state, read the growing degree days lawn-care guide, or browse the full Wisconsin soil temperature directory.