The current average 2-inch soil temperature across California is 84°F. Readings range from 56°F to 112°F, from 23 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across California is right at the seasonal normal of 84°F for mid-August, based on 23 of 23 stations with historical records. California spans USDA hardiness zones 6a to 11a, crossing from cool-season into warm-season grass country. Last updated August 16, 2026.
Summer conditions across California 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.
California spans both grass families: cool-season lawns are more common toward the cooler, northern parts of the state and at elevation, warm-season lawns toward the warmer south.
For cool-season lawns (fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass), fall is the best time to plant grass seed in California, with spring the second choice: fall seedlings face less weed competition and mature before summer heat. The window opens as 2-inch soil falls back through 70°F, and germination slows sharply once soil drops below 50°F, typically around October 25.
Spring is the second choice: the window opens when soil first holds 50°F and narrows as soil passes 65°F, typically by May 10.
For warm-season lawns (bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine), the best time to plant grass seed in California 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 14.
| Region | Typical spring window opens | Typical fall window opens | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern California | April 21 | August 18 | 9 |
| Central California | March 16 | October 11 | 9 |
| Southern California | February 24 | October 11 | 7 |
Fall seeding also needs a stop date: new seedlings want about six weeks of growth before frost arrives. Your city page estimates the last safe seeding date from its nearest station: see when to plant in Sacramento, when to plant in Los Angeles or when to plant in San Diego. Readings current through August 16, 2026: California 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 25 monitoring stations in California; your own window depends on your nearest station's readings.
Historical 2-inch soil temperature normals for California: the median across 25 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 | 42°F |
| February | 45°F |
| March | 50°F |
| April | 56°F |
| May | 66°F |
| June | 77°F |
| July | 85°F |
| August | 79°F |
| September | 74°F |
| October | 64°F |
| November | 50°F |
| December | 45°F |
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 | 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 California. For accumulated-heat timing, see growing degree days for California. For how wet the ground is versus normal, see soil moisture for California. See the California soil temperature map for the full station view.
Interpolated from the latest 4-inch readings and refreshed daily.
| Station | 2" Temp | Last Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Marble Creek (Mono) | 79°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Desert Center (Riverside) | 98°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Ford Dry Lake (Riverside) | 102°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Essex (San Bernardino) | 92°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Shadow Mtns (San Bernardino) | 84°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Deep Springs (Inyo) | 78°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Cochora Ranch (San Luis Obispo) | 89°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Death Valley Jct (Inyo) | 92°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Doe Ridge (Mono) | 70°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Eagle Lake (Lassen) | 94°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Bodie Hills (Mono) | 56°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Monocline Ridge (Fresno) | 99°F | 2026-08-16 |
| French Gulch (Shasta) | 79°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Stubblefield (San Luis Obispo) | 83°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Vallecitos (San Benito) | 85°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Adobe (Mono) | 66°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Rancheria (Mono) | 66°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Chimney Creek (Tulare) | 73°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Redding 12 WNW | 91°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Stovepipe Wells 1 SW | 112°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Yosemite Village 12 W | 70°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Fallbrook 5 NE | 89°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Santa Barbara 11 W | 78°F | 2026-08-16 |
Current 2-inch readings grouped along California'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 California (Lassen, Mono, Shasta Counties) | 75°F | 56–94°F | 8 |
| Central California (Fresno, Inyo, Mono, San Benito, San Bernardino, Tulare Counties) | 87°F | 70–112°F | 8 |
| Southern California (Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo Counties) | 90°F | 78–102°F | 7 |
| City | ZIP | Current Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Agoura Hills | 91301 | 78°F |
| Alameda | 94501 | 60°F* |
| Alhambra | 91801 | 89°F |
| Aliso Viejo | 92656 | 89°F |
| Alpine | 91901 | 89°F |
| Altadena | 91001 | 89°F |
| Anaheim | 92801 | 89°F |
| Antioch | 94509 | 74°F* |
| Apple Valley | 92307 | 91°F* |
| Aptos | 95001 | 85°F |
| Arcadia | 91006 | 89°F |
| Arcata | 95518 | 57°F* |
| Arroyo Grande | 93420 | 89°F |
| Artesia | 90701 | 89°F |
| Atascadero | 93422 | 89°F |
| Auburn | 95602 | 76°F* |
| Bakersfield | 93301 | 89°F |
| Barstow | 92311 | 96°F* |
| Bellflower | 90706 | 89°F |
| Berkeley | 94701 | 60°F* |
| Beverly Hills | 90209 | 79°F* |
| Bishop | 93514 | 79°F |
| Blythe | 92225 | 102°F |
| Bonita | 91902 | 89°F |
| Boron | 93516 | 73°F |
| Brea | 92821 | 89°F |
| Buena Park | 90620 | 89°F |
| Burbank | 91501 | 80°F* |
| Burlingame | 94010 | 64°F* |
| Calabasas | 91302 | 78°F |
| Calexico | 92231 | 102°F |
| California City | 93504 | 73°F |
| Camarillo | 93010 | 78°F |
| Campbell | 95008 | 68°F* |
| Canoga Park | 91303 | 83°F |
| Canyon Country | 91351 | 83°F |
| Carlsbad | 92008 | 89°F |
| Carmel | 93922 | 85°F |
| Carmichael | 95608 | 73°F* |
| Carpinteria | 93013 | 78°F |
| Carson | 90745 | 89°F |
| Castaic | 91310 | 83°F |
| Castro Valley | 94546 | 63°F* |
| Cathedral City | 92234 | 89°F |
| Chatsworth | 91311 | 83°F |
| Chico | 95926 | 91°F |
| Chino | 91708 | 89°F |
| Chula Vista | 91909 | 89°F |
| Citrus Heights | 95610 | 74°F* |
| City Of Industry | 91714 | 89°F |
| Clovis | 93611 | 99°F |
| Compton | 90220 | 89°F |
| Concord | 94518 | 68°F* |
| Corona | 92877 | 89°F |
| Coronado | 92118 | 89°F |
| Corte Madera | 94925 | 60°F* |
| Costa Mesa | 92626 | 89°F |
| Covina | 91722 | 89°F |
| Crescent City | 95531 | 64°F* |
| Culver City | 90230 | 79°F* |
| Cupertino | 95014 | 67°F* |
| Daly City | 94014 | 55°F* |
| Danville | 94506 | 68°F* |
| Davis | 95616 | 73°F* |
| Delano | 93215 | 89°F |
| Desert Hot Springs | 92240 | 89°F |
| Downey | 90239 | 89°F |
| Duarte | 91008 | 89°F |
| Edwards | 93523 | 73°F |
| El Cajon | 92019 | 89°F |
| El Centro | 92243 | 102°F |
| El Monte | 91731 | 89°F |
| El Sobrante | 94803 | 63°F* |
| Elk Grove | 95624 | 71°F* |
| Emeryville | 94608 | 60°F* |
| Encinitas | 92023 | 89°F |
| Encino | 91316 | 76°F* |
| Escondido | 92025 | 89°F |
| Eureka | 95501 | 57°F* |
| Fairfax | 94930 | 62°F* |
| Fairfield | 94533 | 65°F* |
| Fallbrook | 92028 | 89°F |
| Fillmore | 93015 | 83°F |
| Folsom | 95630 | 77°F* |
| Fontana | 92331 | 89°F |
| Fountain Valley | 92708 | 89°F |
| Fremont | 94536 | 66°F* |
| Fresno | 93650 | 99°F |
| Fullerton | 92831 | 89°F |
| Garden Grove | 92840 | 89°F |
| Gardena | 90247 | 89°F |
| Gilroy | 95020 | 85°F |
| Glendale | 91201 | 81°F* |
| Glendora | 91740 | 89°F |
| Goleta | 93116 | 78°F |
| Granada Hills | 91344 | 83°F |
| Grass Valley | 95945 | 73°F* |
| Grover Beach | 93433 | 89°F |
| Hanford | 93230 | 99°F |
| Hawthorne | 90250 | 89°F |
| Hayward | 94540 | 69°F* |
| Hemet | 92543 | 89°F |
| Hesperia | 92340 | 89°F |
| Hollister | 95023 | 85°F |
| Huntington Beach | 92605 | 89°F |
| Imperial Beach | 91932 | 89°F |
| Indio | 92201 | 98°F |
| Inglewood | 90301 | 79°F* |
| Irvine | 92602 | 89°F |
| La Canada Flintridge | 91011 | 84°F* |
| La Crescenta | 91214 | 77°F* |
| La Habra | 90631 | 89°F |
| La Jolla | 92037 | 89°F |
| La Mesa | 91941 | 89°F |
| La Mirada | 90637 | 89°F |
| La Puente | 91744 | 89°F |
| La Quinta | 92247 | 89°F |
| Laguna Beach | 92651 | 89°F |
| Laguna Hills | 92653 | 89°F |
| Laguna Niguel | 92607 | 89°F |
| Lake Elsinore | 92530 | 89°F |
| Lakewood | 90711 | 89°F |
| Lancaster | 93534 | 91°F* |
| Larkspur | 94939 | 60°F* |
| Lawndale | 90260 | 89°F |
| Lemon Grove | 91945 | 89°F |
| Lemoore | 93245 | 99°F |
| Livermore | 94550 | 72°F* |
| Lodi | 95240 | 73°F* |
| Loma Linda | 92350 | 89°F |
| Lompoc | 93436 | 78°F |
| Long Beach | 90801 | 89°F |
| Los Alamitos | 90720 | 89°F |
| Los Altos | 94022 | 66°F* |
| Los Angeles | 90001 | 89°F |
| Los Gatos | 95030 | 67°F* |
| Los Osos | 93402 | 89°F |
| Madera | 93636 | 99°F |
| Malibu | 90263 | 78°F |
| Manhattan Beach | 90266 | 77°F* |
| Manteca | 95336 | 74°F* |
| Marina Del Rey | 90292 | 79°F* |
| Menlo Park | 94025 | 64°F* |
| Merced | 95340 | 70°F |
| Mill Valley | 94941 | 60°F* |
| Milpitas | 95035 | 70°F* |
| Mission Hills | 91345 | 75°F* |
| Mission Viejo | 92690 | 89°F |
| Modesto | 95350 | 70°F |
| Mojave | 93501 | 73°F |
| Monrovia | 91016 | 89°F |
| Monterey | 93940 | 85°F |
| Monterey Park | 91754 | 89°F |
| Montrose | 91020 | 78°F* |
| Moorpark | 93020 | 78°F |
| Moraga | 94556 | 62°F* |
| Moreno Valley | 92551 | 89°F |
| Morgan Hill | 95037 | 85°F |
| Morro Bay | 93442 | 89°F |
| Mountain View | 94035 | 66°F* |
| Murrieta | 92562 | 89°F |
| Napa | 94558 | 63°F* |
| National City | 91950 | 89°F |
| Newbury Park | 91319 | 78°F |
| Newhall | 91321 | 83°F |
| Newport Beach | 92658 | 89°F |
| North Hills | 91343 | 75°F* |
| North Hollywood | 91601 | 78°F* |
| Northridge | 91324 | 83°F |
| Norwalk | 90650 | 89°F |
| Novato | 94945 | 64°F* |
| Oakland | 94601 | 60°F* |
| Oceano | 93445 | 89°F |
| Oceanside | 92049 | 89°F |
| Ojai | 93023 | 78°F |
| Ontario | 91758 | 89°F |
| Orange | 92856 | 89°F |
| Oroville | 95965 | 79°F* |
| Oxnard | 93030 | 78°F |
| Pacoima | 91331 | 80°F* |
| Palm Desert | 92211 | 89°F |
| Palm Springs | 92262 | 89°F |
| Palmdale | 93550 | 74°F* |
| Palo Alto | 94301 | 65°F* |
| Panorama City | 91402 | 75°F* |
| Paradise | 95967 | 79°F* |
| Pasadena | 91101 | 89°F |
| Paso Robles | 93446 | 85°F |
| Perris | 92570 | 89°F |
| Petaluma | 94952 | 65°F* |
| Phelan | 92329 | 89°F |
| Pico Rivera | 90660 | 89°F |
| Pismo Beach | 93448 | 89°F |
| Placentia | 92870 | 89°F |
| Playa Del Rey | 90293 | 78°F* |
| Pleasanton | 94566 | 69°F* |
| Pomona | 91766 | 89°F |
| Port Hueneme | 93041 | 78°F |
| Porterville | 93257 | 73°F |
| Potrero | 91963 | 89°F |
| Poway | 92064 | 89°F |
| Rancho Cordova | 95670 | 75°F* |
| Rancho Cucamonga | 91701 | 89°F |
| Rancho Santa Fe | 92067 | 89°F |
| Redding | 96001 | 91°F |
| Redlands | 92373 | 89°F |
| Redondo Beach | 90277 | 89°F |
| Redwood City | 94061 | 65°F* |
| Reseda | 91335 | 76°F* |
| Rialto | 92376 | 89°F |
| Richmond | 94801 | 60°F* |
| Ridgecrest | 93555 | 73°F |
| Riverside | 92501 | 89°F |
| Rocklin | 95677 | 74°F* |
| Rohnert Park | 94926 | 64°F* |
| Rosemead | 91770 | 89°F |
| Roseville | 95661 | 74°F* |
| Sacramento | 94203 | 73°F* |
| Salinas | 93901 | 85°F |
| San Andreas | 95249 | 70°F |
| San Anselmo | 94960 | 62°F* |
| San Bernardino | 92401 | 89°F |
| San Clemente | 92672 | 89°F |
| San Diego | 92101 | 89°F |
| San Fernando | 91340 | 80°F* |
| San Francisco | 94101 | 59°F* |
| San Gabriel | 91775 | 89°F |
| San Jacinto | 92581 | 89°F |
| San Jose | 95101 | 70°F* |
| San Juan Capistrano | 92675 | 89°F |
| San Leandro | 94577 | 64°F* |
| San Luis Obispo | 93401 | 89°F |
| San Marcos | 92069 | 89°F |
| San Marino | 91108 | 89°F |
| San Mateo | 94401 | 65°F* |
| San Pedro | 90731 | 89°F |
| San Quentin | 94964 | 60°F* |
| San Rafael | 94901 | 60°F* |
| San Ramon | 94582 | 69°F* |
| San Ysidro | 92143 | 89°F |
| Santa Ana | 92701 | 89°F |
| Santa Barbara | 93101 | 78°F |
| Santa Clara | 95050 | 67°F* |
| Santa Clarita | 91350 | 83°F |
| Santa Cruz | 95060 | 61°F* |
| Santa Fe Springs | 90670 | 89°F |
| Santa Maria | 93454 | 89°F |
| Santa Monica | 90401 | 79°F* |
| Santa Paula | 93060 | 78°F |
| Santa Rosa | 95401 | 63°F* |
| Santee | 92071 | 89°F |
| Saratoga | 95070 | 67°F* |
| Sausalito | 94965 | 60°F* |
| Scotts Valley | 95066 | 62°F* |
| Sebastopol | 95472 | 60°F* |
| Shasta Lake | 96019 | 79°F |
| Sherman Oaks | 91403 | 76°F* |
| Sierra Madre | 91024 | 89°F |
| Simi Valley | 93062 | 83°F |
| Solvang | 93463 | 78°F |
| South Lake Tahoe | 96150 | 56°F |
| South Pasadena | 91030 | 89°F |
| South San Francisco | 94080 | 59°F* |
| Spring Valley | 91976 | 89°F |
| Stockton | 95201 | 73°F* |
| Studio City | 91604 | 78°F* |
| Sun City | 92585 | 89°F |
| Sun Valley | 91352 | 81°F* |
| Sunland | 91040 | 79°F* |
| Sunnyvale | 94085 | 68°F* |
| Susanville | 96127 | 94°F |
| Sylmar | 91342 | 79°F* |
| Tarzana | 91356 | 75°F* |
| Tecate | 91980 | 89°F |
| Tehachapi | 93561 | 73°F |
| Temecula | 92589 | 89°F |
| Thousand Oaks | 91358 | 78°F |
| Torrance | 90501 | 89°F |
| Trabuco Canyon | 92678 | 89°F |
| Tracy | 95304 | 73°F* |
| Trona | 93562 | 73°F |
| Truckee | 96160 | 69°F* |
| Tujunga | 91042 | 84°F* |
| Tulare | 93274 | 99°F |
| Turlock | 95380 | 70°F |
| Tustin | 92780 | 89°F |
| Twentynine Palms | 92277 | 98°F |
| Upland | 91784 | 89°F |
| Vacaville | 95687 | 72°F* |
| Valencia | 91354 | 83°F |
| Vallejo | 94589 | 64°F* |
| Valley Village | 91607 | 77°F* |
| Van Nuys | 91401 | 77°F* |
| Venice | 90291 | 79°F* |
| Ventura | 93001 | 78°F |
| Victorville | 92392 | 89°F |
| Visalia | 93277 | 99°F |
| Vista | 92081 | 89°F |
| Walnut | 91788 | 89°F |
| Walnut Creek | 94595 | 64°F* |
| Watsonville | 95076 | 85°F |
| West Covina | 91790 | 89°F |
| West Hills | 91307 | 83°F |
| West Sacramento | 95605 | 73°F* |
| Westlake Village | 91359 | 78°F |
| Westminster | 92683 | 89°F |
| Whittier | 90601 | 89°F |
| Wilmington | 90744 | 89°F |
| Winnetka | 91306 | 83°F |
| Woodland | 95695 | 74°F* |
| Woodland Hills | 91364 | 75°F* |
| Yorba Linda | 92885 | 89°F |
| Yuba City | 95991 | 73°F* |
| Yucca Valley | 92284 | 89°F |
Modeled estimate where no monitoring station is within 75 miles; all other readings are measured at USDA and NOAA stations.
Fall is the best time to overseed a thin lawn.
Core aeration relieves compaction, but timing decides whether the lawn recovers in a week or struggles for a month.
Brown patch and Pythium strike when humid nights hold above 68°F on lush, over-fertilized turf; dollar spot, red thread, and rust hit slow-growing lawns at 60-85°F.
Spring broadleaf timing for St.
The current average 2-inch soil temperature across California is 84°F. Readings range from 56°F to 112°F depending on location and elevation, from 23 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across California is right at the seasonal normal of 84°F for mid-August, based on 23 of 23 stations with historical records.
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.
California spans USDA hardiness zones 6a to 11a, crossing from cool-season into warm-season grass country. For cool-season grasses (fescue, bluegrass), the fall window typically opens around October 2 and the spring window around March 22; for warm-season grasses (bermuda, zoysia), the window typically opens around May 10, based on historical 2-inch soil temperature averages at 25 in-state stations. Timing varies by location, so check your city's planting window for the dates specific to your area.