The current average 2-inch soil temperature across Alabama is 84°F. Readings range from 78°F to 95°F, from 30 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Alabama is running 3°F above the seasonal normal of 82°F for mid-August, based on 30 of 30 stations with historical records. Alabama spans USDA hardiness zones 7b to 9a, crossing from cool-season into warm-season grass country. Last updated August 16, 2026.
Summer conditions across Alabama with soil averaging 84°F at 2 inches. Warm-season grasses are in peak growth; keep cool-season lawns mowed high and watered deep. The next application windows arrive in fall, starting with pre-emergent as soil falls back through 70°F.
For warm-season lawns (bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine), the best time to plant grass seed in Alabama is late spring into early summer, when soil is warming and a full growing season lies ahead. The window opens when 2-inch soil reaches 65°F and keeps rising, and closes as soil cools back through 65°F, typically around October 18.
| Region | Typical planting window opens | Stations |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Alabama | April 27 | 12 |
| Central Alabama | March 31 | 12 |
| Southern Alabama | March 24 | 10 |
Timing varies within Alabama: your city page tracks the local window from its nearest station: see when to plant in Birmingham, when to plant in Mobile or when to plant in Montgomery. Readings current through August 16, 2026: Alabama averages 84°F at 2 inches right now; the Current Planting Conditions section above reads that number against the season.
Typical dates are computed from historical 2-inch soil temperature averages at 34 monitoring stations in Alabama; your own window depends on your nearest station's readings.
Historical 2-inch soil temperature normals for Alabama: the median across 34 in-state stations with multi-year records. Any given year runs ahead of or behind these values; the live average at the top of this page shows where this year stands.
| Month | Average 2-inch soil temperature |
|---|---|
| January | 47°F |
| February | 53°F |
| March | 60°F |
| April | 67°F |
| May | 74°F |
| June | 80°F |
| July | 82°F |
| August | 81°F |
| September | 76°F |
| October | 68°F |
| November | 58°F |
| December | 52°F |
Grass seed germination
Grass seed germination temperatures across Alabama. Soil warmth varies by location, so check a city page for the live reading and what germinates there now.
| Grass species | Seeding soil temp (2 in) | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky bluegrass | 50–65°F | 14-30 |
| Tall fescue | 50–65°F | 7-12 |
| Perennial ryegrass | 50–65°F | 5-10 |
| Fine fescue | 50–65°F | 7-14 |
| Bermudagrass | 75–90°F | 10-30 |
For root-zone timing (fertilizer, aeration, weed control), see the 4-inch soil temperature for Alabama. For accumulated-heat timing, see growing degree days for Alabama. For how wet the ground is versus normal, see soil moisture for Alabama. See the Alabama soil temperature map for the full station view.
Interpolated from the latest 4-inch readings and refreshed daily.
| Station | 2" Temp | Last Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Wtars (Madison) | 81°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Hodges (Marshall) | 80°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Stanley Farm (Morgan) | 78°F | 2026-08-16 |
| AAMU-JTG (Madison) | 82°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Bragg Farm (Madison) | 83°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Cullman-NAHRC (Cullman) | 80°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Livingston-UWA (Sumter) | — | 2026-08-16 |
| Tuskegee (Macon) | 84°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Isbell Farms (Colbert) | 80°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Dee River Ranch (Pickens) | 86°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Wedowee (Randolph) | 79°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Selma (Dallas) | 85°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Broad Acres (Montgomery) | 84°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Morris Farms (Macon) | 82°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Sudduth Farms (Winston) | 80°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Koptis Farms (Baldwin) | 82°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Perdido Riv Farms (Escambia) | 85°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Thomasville 2 S | 92°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Selma 13 WNW | 86°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Valley Head 1 SSW | 83°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Courtland 2 WSW | 87°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Clanton 2 NE | 91°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Gainesville 2 NE | 89°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Greensboro 2 WNW | 83°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Muscle Shoals 2 N | 85°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Russellville 4 SSE | 84°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Selma 6 SSE | 95°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Brewton 3 NNE | 93°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Northport 2 S | 86°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Highland Home 2 S | 85°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Talladega 10 NNE | 82°F | 2026-08-16 |
Current 2-inch readings grouped along Alabama's north-to-south axis. Regional spread matters for timing: the warm end of the state can open an application window a week or more before the cool end.
| Region | Avg 2" Temp | Range | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Alabama (Colbert, Madison, Marshall, Morgan Counties) | 82°F | 78–87°F | 10 |
| Central Alabama (Cullman, Pickens, Randolph, Winston Counties) | 84°F | 79–91°F | 10 |
| Southern Alabama (Baldwin, Dallas, Escambia, Macon, Montgomery Counties) | 87°F | 82–95°F | 10 |
| City | ZIP | Current Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Albertville | 35950 | 80°F |
| Alexander City | 35010 | 82°F |
| Andalusia | 36420 | 93°F |
| Anniston | 36201 | 82°F |
| Athens | 35611 | 78°F |
| Atmore | 36502 | 85°F |
| Auburn | 36830 | 84°F |
| Bessemer | 35020 | 86°F |
| Bham | 35225 | 91°F |
| Birmingham | 35201 | 82°F |
| Boaz | 35956 | 80°F |
| Brewton | 36426 | 93°F |
| Clanton | 35045 | 91°F |
| Cullman | 35055 | 80°F |
| Decatur | 35601 | 78°F |
| Dothan | 36301 | 85°F |
| Enterprise | 36330 | 85°F |
| Eufaula | 36027 | 84°F |
| Fairhope | 36532 | 82°F |
| Florence | 35630 | 85°F |
| Foley | 36535 | 82°F |
| Fort Payne | 35967 | 83°F |
| Gadsden | 35901 | 80°F |
| Gulf Shores | 36542 | 82°F |
| Huntsville | 35801 | 82°F |
| Jasper | 35501 | 80°F |
| Madison | 35756 | 78°F |
| Mobile | 36601 | 82°F |
| Monroeville | 36460 | 85°F |
| Montgomery | 36101 | 84°F |
| Muscle Shoals | 35661 | 85°F |
| Northport | 35473 | 86°F |
| Opelika | 36801 | 84°F |
| Ozark | 36360 | 85°F |
| Pell City | 35125 | 82°F |
| Phenix City | 36867 | 84°F |
| Prattville | 36066 | 84°F |
| Russellville | 35653 | 84°F |
| Scottsboro | 35768 | 80°F |
| Selma | 36701 | 95°F |
| Spanish Fort | 36527 | 82°F |
| Sylacauga | 35150 | 91°F |
| Talladega | 35160 | 82°F |
| Theodore | 36582 | 82°F |
| Troy | 36079 | 85°F |
| Tuscaloosa | 35401 | 86°F |
| Tuskegee Institute | 36087 | 84°F |
| Valley | 36854 | 79°F |
| Wetumpka | 36092 | 82°F |
Spring broadleaf timing for St.
Nutsedge is a sedge, not a grass, which is why standard weed control fails.
Learn how to mix, calibrate, and spray liquid pre-emergent herbicide.
Check whether your soil is warm enough for the seed you bought: cool-season grass seeds into 50-65°F soil (tall fescue prefers 60°F and up), warm-season into 75-85°F.
The current average 2-inch soil temperature across Alabama is 84°F. Readings range from 78°F to 95°F depending on location and elevation, from 30 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Alabama is running 3°F above the seasonal normal of 82°F for mid-August, based on 30 of 30 stations with historical records.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide when soil at 2 inches reaches 55°F for several consecutive days. Timing varies across Alabama, so check your city's page for station-specific readings and the pre-emergent timing recommendation.
Alabama spans USDA hardiness zones 7b to 9a, crossing from cool-season into warm-season grass country. For warm-season grasses (bermuda, zoysia), the window typically opens around April 2, based on historical 2-inch soil temperature averages at 34 in-state stations. Timing varies by location, so check your city's planting window for the dates specific to your area.