The current average 2-inch soil temperature across Arizona is 70°F. Readings range from 60°F to 84°F, from 5 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Arizona is running 9°F below the seasonal normal of 79°F for early October, based on 5 of 5 stations with historical records. Arizona spans USDA hardiness zones 6a to 10a, crossing from cool-season into warm-season grass country. Last updated September 30, 2026.
Soil across Arizona is cooling off its summer peak at an average of 70°F at 2 inches. The fall poa annua pre-emergent window is in play as readings fall through the 65–70°F band, and cool-season overseeding follows close behind.
For warm-season lawns (bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine), the best time to plant grass seed in Arizona 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 29.
| Region | Typical planting window opens | Stations |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Arizona | May 13 | 2 |
| Central Arizona | April 3 | 3 |
Timing varies within Arizona: your city page tracks the local window from its nearest station: see when to plant in Phoenix, when to plant in Tucson or when to plant in Mesa. Readings current through September 30, 2026: Arizona averages 70°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 5 monitoring stations in Arizona; your own window depends on your nearest station's readings.
Historical 2-inch soil temperature normals for Arizona: the median across 5 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 | 45°F |
| February | 52°F |
| March | 60°F |
| April | 70°F |
| May | 81°F |
| June | 89°F |
| July | 86°F |
| August | 83°F |
| September | 80°F |
| October | 70°F |
| November | 57°F |
| December | 50°F |
Shaded spring cells fall in the 50°F to 55°F pre-emergent window at 2-inch depth. The highlighted row is the current month.
Grass seed germination
Grass seed germination temperatures across Arizona. 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 | 60–70°F | 14-30 |
| Tall fescue | 60–70°F | 7-12 |
| Perennial ryegrass | 60–70°F | 5-10 |
| Fine fescue | 60–70°F | 7-14 |
| Bermudagrass | 75–90°F | 10-30 |
For root-zone timing (fertilizer, aeration, weed control), see the 4-inch soil temperature for Arizona. For accumulated-heat timing, see growing degree days for Arizona. For how wet the ground is versus normal, see soil moisture for Arizona. See the Arizona soil temperature map for the full station view.
Interpolated from the latest 4-inch readings and refreshed daily.
| Station | 2" Temp | Last Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Walnut Gulch #1 (Cochise) | 65°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Tucson 11 W | 75°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Elgin 5 S | 68°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Yuma 27 ENE | 84°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Williams 35 NNW | 60°F | 2026-09-30 |
Current 2-inch readings grouped along Arizona'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 Arizona | 72°F | 60–84°F | 2 |
| Central Arizona (Cochise County) | 69°F | 65–75°F | 3 |
| City | ZIP | Current Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Apache Jct | 85217 | 75°F |
| Apache Junction | 85117 | 75°F |
| Arizona City | 85123 | 75°F |
| Avondale | 85323 | 96°F* |
| Bapchule | 85121 | 75°F |
| Buckeye | 85326 | 94°F* |
| Bullhead City | 86429 | 70°F |
| Casa Grande | 85122 | 75°F |
| Cave Creek | 85327 | 93°F* |
| Chandler | 85224 | 75°F |
| Chandler Heights | 85127 | 75°F |
| Coolidge | 85128 | 75°F |
| Douglas | 85607 | 65°F |
| Eloy | 85131 | 75°F |
| Flagstaff | 86001 | 60°F |
| Florence | 85132 | 75°F |
| Fort Huachuca | 85613 | 68°F |
| Fort Mohave | 86426 | 70°F |
| Fountain Hills | 85268 | 93°F* |
| Gilbert | 85233 | 75°F |
| Glendale | 85301 | 96°F* |
| Globe | 85501 | 75°F |
| Goodyear | 85338 | 96°F* |
| Green Valley | 85614 | 75°F |
| Hayden | 85135 | 75°F |
| Kearny | 85137 | 75°F |
| Kingman | 86401 | 60°F |
| Lake Havasu City | 86403 | 70°F |
| Marana | 85653 | 75°F |
| Maricopa | 85138 | 75°F |
| Mesa | 85201 | 75°F |
| Mohave Valley | 86440 | 70°F |
| Nogales | 85621 | 68°F |
| Payson | 85541 | 73°F* |
| Peoria | 85345 | 96°F* |
| Phoenix | 85001 | 75°F |
| Picacho | 85141 | 75°F |
| Prescott | 86301 | 60°F |
| Prescott Valley | 86312 | 60°F |
| Quartzsite | 85346 | 82°F |
| Queen Creek | 85142 | 75°F |
| Red Rock | 85145 | 75°F |
| Sacaton | 85147 | 75°F |
| Safford | 85546 | 65°F |
| San Tan Valley | 85140 | 75°F |
| Scottsdale | 85250 | 75°F |
| Sedona | 86336 | 60°F |
| Show Low | 85901 | 64°F* |
| Sierra Vista | 85635 | 68°F |
| Stanfield | 85172 | 75°F |
| Sun City | 85351 | 96°F* |
| Sun City West | 85375 | 94°F* |
| Superior | 85173 | 75°F |
| Surprise | 85374 | 95°F* |
| Tempe | 85280 | 75°F |
| Tucson | 85701 | 75°F |
| Valley Farms | 85191 | 75°F |
| Wickenburg | 85358 | 96°F* |
| Willcox | 85643 | 65°F |
| Yuma | 85364 | 84°F |
Modeled estimate where no monitoring station is within 99 miles; all other readings are measured at USDA and NOAA stations.
Time fall pre-emergent ahead of poa annua germination.
Fall is when broadleaf herbicide works hardest.
Bermuda and zoysia go tan in winter.
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 Arizona is 70°F. Readings range from 60°F to 84°F depending on location and elevation, from 5 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Arizona is running 9°F below the seasonal normal of 79°F for early October, based on 5 of 5 stations with historical records.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide when soil at 2 inches reaches 55°F for several consecutive days. Timing varies across Arizona, so check your city's page for station-specific readings and the pre-emergent timing recommendation.
Arizona spans USDA hardiness zones 6a to 10a, crossing from cool-season into warm-season grass country. For warm-season grasses (bermuda, zoysia), the window typically opens around April 3, based on historical 2-inch soil temperature averages at 5 in-state stations. Timing varies by location, so check your city's planting window for the dates specific to your area.