Soil Temperature in California
The current average 2-inch soil temperature across California is 81°F, based on 24 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Readings range from 54°F to 109°F. Last updated July 2, 2026.
Current Planting Conditions
Summer conditions across California with soil averaging 81°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.
Grass Seed Germination in California
Grass seed germination
Grass seed germination temperatures across California. Soil warmth varies by location, so check a city page for the live reading and what germinates there now.
| Grass species | Germination optimum | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky bluegrass | 59–86°F | 14-30 |
| Tall fescue | 68–86°F | 7-12 |
| Perennial ryegrass | 68–86°F | 5-10 |
| Fine fescue | 59–77°F | 7-14 |
| Bermudagrass | 75–85°F | 10-30 |
Monitoring Stations in California (24)
For root-zone timing (fertilizer, aeration, weed control), see the 4-inch soil temperature for California. For accumulated-heat timing, see growing degree days for California. See the California soil temperature map for the full station view.
| Station | 2" Temp | Last Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Marble Creek (Mono) | 80°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Desert Center (Riverside) | 96°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Ford Dry Lake (Riverside) | 92°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Essex (San Bernardino) | 86°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Shadow Mtns (San Bernardino) | 80°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Deep Springs (Inyo) | 77°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Cochora Ranch (San Luis Obispo) | 109°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Death Valley Jct (Inyo) | 84°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Doe Ridge (Mono) | 74°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Eagle Lake (Lassen) | 80°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Bodie Hills (Mono) | 54°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Monocline Ridge (Fresno) | 98°F | 2026-07-02 |
| French Gulch (Shasta) | 80°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Stubblefield (San Luis Obispo) | 82°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Vallecitos (San Benito) | 79°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Adobe (Mono) | 71°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Rancheria (Mono) | 66°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Alabama Hills (Inyo) | 72°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Chimney Creek (Tulare) | 67°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Redding 12 WNW | 92°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Stovepipe Wells 1 SW | 107°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Yosemite Village 12 W | 65°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Fallbrook 5 NE | 84°F | 2026-07-02 |
| Santa Barbara 11 W | 70°F | 2026-07-02 |
Cities in California (314)
| City | ZIP | Current Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Agoura Hills | 91301 | 70°F |
| Alameda | 94501 | 59°F* |
| Alhambra | 91801 | 84°F |
| Aliso Viejo | 92656 | 84°F |
| Alpine | 91901 | 84°F |
| Altadena | 91001 | 84°F |
| Anaheim | 92801 | 84°F |
| Antioch | 94509 | 65°F* |
| Apple Valley | 92307 | 70°F* |
| Aptos | 95001 | 79°F |
| Arcadia | 91006 | 84°F |
| Arcata | 95518 | 55°F* |
| Arroyo Grande | 93420 | 109°F |
| Artesia | 90701 | 84°F |
| Atascadero | 93422 | 109°F |
| Auburn | 95602 | 67°F* |
| Bakersfield | 93301 | 109°F |
| Barstow | 92311 | 76°F* |
| Bellflower | 90706 | 84°F |
| Berkeley | 94701 | 59°F* |
| Beverly Hills | 90209 | 64°F* |
| Bishop | 93514 | 80°F |
| Blythe | 92225 | 92°F |
| Bonita | 91902 | 84°F |
| Boron | 93516 | 67°F |
| Brea | 92821 | 84°F |
| Buena Park | 90620 | 84°F |
| Burbank | 91501 | 65°F* |
| Burlingame | 94010 | 59°F* |
| Calabasas | 91302 | 70°F |
| Calexico | 92231 | 92°F |
| California City | 93504 | 67°F |
| Camarillo | 93010 | 70°F |
| Campbell | 95008 | 60°F* |
| Canoga Park | 91303 | 82°F |
| Canyon Country | 91351 | 82°F |
| Carlsbad | 92008 | 84°F |
| Carmel | 93922 | 79°F |
| Carmichael | 95608 | 65°F* |
| Carpinteria | 93013 | 70°F |
| Carson | 90745 | 84°F |
| Castaic | 91310 | 82°F |
| Castro Valley | 94546 | 59°F* |
| Cathedral City | 92234 | 84°F |
| Chatsworth | 91311 | 82°F |
| Chico | 95926 | 92°F |
| Chino | 91708 | 84°F |
| Chula Vista | 91909 | 84°F |
| Citrus Heights | 95610 | 67°F* |
| City Of Industry | 91714 | 84°F |
| Clovis | 93611 | 98°F |
| Compton | 90220 | 84°F |
| Concord | 94518 | 61°F* |
| Corona | 92877 | 84°F |
| Coronado | 92118 | 84°F |
| Corte Madera | 94925 | 58°F* |
| Costa Mesa | 92626 | 84°F |
| Covina | 91722 | 84°F |
| Crescent City | 95531 | 57°F* |
| Culver City | 90230 | 64°F* |
| Cupertino | 95014 | 59°F* |
| Daly City | 94014 | 53°F* |
| Danville | 94506 | 60°F* |
| Davis | 95616 | 64°F* |
| Delano | 93215 | 109°F |
| Desert Hot Springs | 92240 | 84°F |
| Downey | 90239 | 84°F |
| Duarte | 91008 | 84°F |
| Edwards | 93523 | 67°F |
| El Cajon | 92019 | 84°F |
| El Centro | 92243 | 92°F |
| El Monte | 91731 | 84°F |
| El Sobrante | 94803 | 58°F* |
| Elk Grove | 95624 | 63°F* |
| Emeryville | 94608 | 59°F* |
| Encinitas | 92023 | 84°F |
| Encino | 91316 | 61°F* |
| Escondido | 92025 | 84°F |
| Eureka | 95501 | 56°F* |
| Fairfax | 94930 | 57°F* |
| Fairfield | 94533 | 60°F* |
| Fallbrook | 92028 | 84°F |
| Fillmore | 93015 | 82°F |
| Folsom | 95630 | 69°F* |
| Fontana | 92331 | 84°F |
| Fountain Valley | 92708 | 84°F |
| Fremont | 94536 | 61°F* |
| Fresno | 93650 | 98°F |
| Fullerton | 92831 | 84°F |
| Garden Grove | 92840 | 84°F |
| Gardena | 90247 | 84°F |
| Gilroy | 95020 | 79°F |
| Glendale | 91201 | 66°F* |
| Glendora | 91740 | 84°F |
| Goleta | 93116 | 70°F |
| Granada Hills | 91344 | 82°F |
| Grass Valley | 95945 | 60°F* |
| Grover Beach | 93433 | 109°F |
| Hanford | 93230 | 98°F |
| Hawthorne | 90250 | 84°F |
| Hayward | 94540 | 62°F* |
| Hemet | 92543 | 84°F |
| Hesperia | 92340 | 84°F |
| Hollister | 95023 | 79°F |
| Huntington Beach | 92605 | 84°F |
| Imperial Beach | 91932 | 84°F |
| Indio | 92201 | 96°F |
| Inglewood | 90301 | 64°F* |
| Irvine | 92602 | 84°F |
| La Canada Flintridge | 91011 | 67°F* |
| La Crescenta | 91214 | 62°F* |
| La Habra | 90631 | 84°F |
| La Jolla | 92037 | 84°F |
| La Mesa | 91941 | 84°F |
| La Mirada | 90637 | 84°F |
| La Puente | 91744 | 84°F |
| La Quinta | 92247 | 84°F |
| Laguna Beach | 92651 | 84°F |
| Laguna Hills | 92653 | 84°F |
| Laguna Niguel | 92607 | 84°F |
| Lake Elsinore | 92530 | 84°F |
| Lakewood | 90711 | 84°F |
| Lancaster | 93534 | 70°F* |
| Larkspur | 94939 | 58°F* |
| Lawndale | 90260 | 84°F |
| Lemon Grove | 91945 | 84°F |
| Lemoore | 93245 | 98°F |
| Livermore | 94550 | 63°F* |
| Lodi | 95240 | 65°F* |
| Loma Linda | 92350 | 84°F |
| Lompoc | 93436 | 70°F |
| Long Beach | 90801 | 84°F |
| Los Alamitos | 90720 | 84°F |
| Los Altos | 94022 | 57°F* |
| Los Angeles | 90001 | 84°F |
| Los Gatos | 95030 | 59°F* |
| Los Osos | 93402 | 109°F |
| Madera | 93636 | 98°F |
| Malibu | 90263 | 70°F |
| Manhattan Beach | 90266 | 64°F* |
| Manteca | 95336 | 66°F* |
| Marina Del Rey | 90292 | 64°F* |
| Menlo Park | 94025 | 59°F* |
| Merced | 95340 | 65°F |
| Mill Valley | 94941 | 58°F* |
| Milpitas | 95035 | 63°F* |
| Mission Hills | 91345 | 61°F* |
| Mission Viejo | 92690 | 84°F |
| Modesto | 95350 | 65°F |
| Mojave | 93501 | 67°F |
| Monrovia | 91016 | 84°F |
| Monterey | 93940 | 79°F |
| Monterey Park | 91754 | 84°F |
| Montrose | 91020 | 63°F* |
| Moorpark | 93020 | 70°F |
| Moraga | 94556 | 55°F* |
| Moreno Valley | 92551 | 84°F |
| Morgan Hill | 95037 | 79°F |
| Morro Bay | 93442 | 109°F |
| Mountain View | 94035 | 58°F* |
| Murrieta | 92562 | 84°F |
| Napa | 94558 | 55°F* |
| National City | 91950 | 84°F |
| Newbury Park | 91319 | 70°F |
| Newhall | 91321 | 82°F |
| Newport Beach | 92658 | 84°F |
| North Hills | 91343 | 61°F* |
| North Hollywood | 91601 | 63°F* |
| Northridge | 91324 | 82°F |
| Norwalk | 90650 | 84°F |
| Novato | 94945 | 58°F* |
| Oakland | 94601 | 59°F* |
| Oceano | 93445 | 109°F |
| Oceanside | 92049 | 84°F |
| Ojai | 93023 | 70°F |
| Ontario | 91758 | 84°F |
| Orange | 92856 | 84°F |
| Oroville | 95965 | 69°F* |
| Oxnard | 93030 | 70°F |
| Pacoima | 91331 | 64°F* |
| Palm Desert | 92211 | 84°F |
| Palm Springs | 92262 | 84°F |
| Palmdale | 93550 | 56°F* |
| Palo Alto | 94301 | 60°F* |
| Panorama City | 91402 | 61°F* |
| Paradise | 95967 | 70°F* |
| Pasadena | 91101 | 84°F |
| Paso Robles | 93446 | 79°F |
| Perris | 92570 | 84°F |
| Petaluma | 94952 | 59°F* |
| Phelan | 92329 | 84°F |
| Pico Rivera | 90660 | 84°F |
| Pismo Beach | 93448 | 109°F |
| Placentia | 92870 | 84°F |
| Playa Del Rey | 90293 | 64°F* |
| Pleasanton | 94566 | 62°F* |
| Pomona | 91766 | 84°F |
| Port Hueneme | 93041 | 70°F |
| Porterville | 93257 | 67°F |
| Potrero | 91963 | 84°F |
| Poway | 92064 | 84°F |
| Rancho Cordova | 95670 | 67°F* |
| Rancho Cucamonga | 91701 | 84°F |
| Rancho Santa Fe | 92067 | 84°F |
| Redding | 96001 | 92°F |
| Redlands | 92373 | 84°F |
| Redondo Beach | 90277 | 84°F |
| Redwood City | 94061 | 60°F* |
| Reseda | 91335 | 62°F* |
| Rialto | 92376 | 84°F |
| Richmond | 94801 | 59°F* |
| Ridgecrest | 93555 | 67°F |
| Riverside | 92501 | 84°F |
| Rocklin | 95677 | 67°F* |
| Rohnert Park | 94926 | 59°F* |
| Rosemead | 91770 | 84°F |
| Roseville | 95661 | 67°F* |
| Sacramento | 94203 | 64°F* |
| Salinas | 93901 | 79°F |
| San Andreas | 95249 | 65°F |
| San Anselmo | 94960 | 58°F* |
| San Bernardino | 92401 | 84°F |
| San Clemente | 92672 | 84°F |
| San Diego | 92101 | 84°F |
| San Fernando | 91340 | 64°F* |
| San Francisco | 94101 | 57°F* |
| San Gabriel | 91775 | 84°F |
| San Jacinto | 92581 | 84°F |
| San Jose | 95101 | 63°F* |
| San Juan Capistrano | 92675 | 84°F |
| San Leandro | 94577 | 59°F* |
| San Luis Obispo | 93401 | 109°F |
| San Marcos | 92069 | 84°F |
| San Marino | 91108 | 84°F |
| San Mateo | 94401 | 60°F* |
| San Pedro | 90731 | 84°F |
| San Quentin | 94964 | 58°F* |
| San Rafael | 94901 | 58°F* |
| San Ramon | 94582 | 61°F* |
| San Ysidro | 92143 | 84°F |
| Santa Ana | 92701 | 84°F |
| Santa Barbara | 93101 | 70°F |
| Santa Clara | 95050 | 60°F* |
| Santa Clarita | 91350 | 82°F |
| Santa Cruz | 95060 | 54°F* |
| Santa Fe Springs | 90670 | 84°F |
| Santa Maria | 93454 | 109°F |
| Santa Monica | 90401 | 63°F* |
| Santa Paula | 93060 | 70°F |
| Santa Rosa | 95401 | 59°F* |
| Santee | 92071 | 84°F |
| Saratoga | 95070 | 59°F* |
| Sausalito | 94965 | 58°F* |
| Scotts Valley | 95066 | 55°F* |
| Sebastopol | 95472 | 56°F* |
| Shasta Lake | 96019 | 80°F |
| Sherman Oaks | 91403 | 62°F* |
| Sierra Madre | 91024 | 84°F |
| Simi Valley | 93062 | 82°F |
| Solvang | 93463 | 70°F |
| South Lake Tahoe | 96150 | 54°F |
| South Pasadena | 91030 | 84°F |
| South San Francisco | 94080 | 57°F* |
| Spring Valley | 91976 | 84°F |
| Stockton | 95201 | 65°F* |
| Studio City | 91604 | 63°F* |
| Sun City | 92585 | 84°F |
| Sun Valley | 91352 | 65°F* |
| Sunland | 91040 | 63°F* |
| Sunnyvale | 94085 | 60°F* |
| Susanville | 96127 | 80°F |
| Sylmar | 91342 | 63°F* |
| Tarzana | 91356 | 61°F* |
| Tecate | 91980 | 84°F |
| Tehachapi | 93561 | 67°F |
| Temecula | 92589 | 84°F |
| Thousand Oaks | 91358 | 70°F |
| Torrance | 90501 | 84°F |
| Trabuco Canyon | 92678 | 84°F |
| Tracy | 95304 | 66°F* |
| Trona | 93562 | 67°F |
| Truckee | 96160 | 53°F* |
| Tujunga | 91042 | 67°F* |
| Tulare | 93274 | 72°F |
| Turlock | 95380 | 65°F |
| Tustin | 92780 | 84°F |
| Twentynine Palms | 92277 | 96°F |
| Upland | 91784 | 84°F |
| Vacaville | 95687 | 66°F* |
| Valencia | 91354 | 82°F |
| Vallejo | 94589 | 59°F* |
| Valley Village | 91607 | 63°F* |
| Van Nuys | 91401 | 62°F* |
| Venice | 90291 | 64°F* |
| Ventura | 93001 | 70°F |
| Victorville | 92392 | 84°F |
| Visalia | 93277 | 72°F |
| Vista | 92081 | 84°F |
| Walnut | 91788 | 84°F |
| Walnut Creek | 94595 | 57°F* |
| Watsonville | 95076 | 79°F |
| West Covina | 91790 | 84°F |
| West Hills | 91307 | 82°F |
| West Sacramento | 95605 | 65°F* |
| Westlake Village | 91359 | 70°F |
| Westminster | 92683 | 84°F |
| Whittier | 90601 | 84°F |
| Wilmington | 90744 | 84°F |
| Winnetka | 91306 | 82°F |
| Woodland | 95695 | 65°F* |
| Woodland Hills | 91364 | 60°F* |
| Yorba Linda | 92885 | 84°F |
| Yuba City | 95991 | 66°F* |
| Yucca Valley | 92284 | 84°F |
Modeled estimate from Open-Meteo where no monitoring station is within 75 miles; all other readings are measured at USDA and NOAA stations.
Lawn Care Timing Guides for California
- When to Apply Broadleaf Weed Killer on Cool-Season Lawns in Spring
Spring broadleaf timing for Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, perennial ryegrass, and the cool-season blends.
- How to Identify and Kill Nutsedge in Your Lawn
Nutsedge is a sedge, not a grass, which is why standard weed control fails.
- How to Apply Liquid Pre-Emergent Herbicide
Learn how to mix, calibrate, and spray liquid pre-emergent herbicide.
- When to Apply Broadleaf Weed Killer on Warm-Season Lawns in Spring
Spring broadleaf timing for St.
Soil Temperature FAQ for California
What is the current soil temperature in California?
The current average 2-inch soil temperature across California is 81°F, based on 24 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Readings range from 54°F to 109°F depending on location and elevation.
When should I apply pre-emergent in California?
Apply pre-emergent herbicide when soil at 2 inches reaches 55°F for several consecutive days. Timing varies across California, so check your city's page for station-specific readings and the pre-emergent timing recommendation.
When can I plant grass seed in California?
Cool-season grasses (fescue, bluegrass) can be seeded when soil holds between 50 and 65°F. Warm-season grasses (bermuda, zoysia) need soil above 65°F. Timing varies by location, so check your city's planting window for the dates specific to your area.