The current average 2-inch soil temperature across Georgia is 79°F. Readings range from 73°F to 84°F, from 5 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Georgia is running 3°F above the seasonal normal of 76°F for early October, based on 5 of 5 stations with historical records. Georgia spans USDA hardiness zones 7b to 9a, crossing from cool-season into warm-season grass country. Last updated September 30, 2026.
Soil across Georgia is cooling off its summer peak at an average of 79°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 Georgia 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 November 2.
| Region | Typical planting window opens | Stations |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Georgia | April 25 | 2 |
| Central Georgia | March 8 | 3 |
Timing varies within Georgia: your city page tracks the local window from its nearest station: see when to plant in Atlanta, when to plant in Macon or when to plant in Savannah. Readings current through September 30, 2026: Georgia averages 79°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 Georgia; your own window depends on your nearest station's readings.
Historical 2-inch soil temperature normals for Georgia: 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 | 51°F |
| February | 57°F |
| March | 63°F |
| April | 71°F |
| May | 78°F |
| June | 83°F |
| July | 86°F |
| August | 85°F |
| September | 80°F |
| October | 71°F |
| November | 64°F |
| December | 55°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 Georgia. 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 Georgia. For accumulated-heat timing, see growing degree days for Georgia. For how wet the ground is versus normal, see soil moisture for Georgia. See the Georgia soil temperature map for the full station view.
Interpolated from the latest 4-inch readings and refreshed daily.
| Station | 2" Temp | Last Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Watkinsville #1 (Oconee) | 73°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Newton 8 W | 77°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Newton 11 SW | 84°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Watkinsville 5 SSE | 81°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Brunswick 23 S | 81°F | 2026-09-30 |
Current 2-inch readings grouped along Georgia'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 Georgia (Oconee County) | 77°F | 73–81°F | 2 |
| Central Georgia | 81°F | 77–84°F | 3 |
| City | ZIP | Current Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Acworth | 30101 | 72°F |
| Albany | 31701 | 77°F |
| Alpharetta | 30004 | 73°F |
| Alto | 30510 | 73°F |
| Americus | 31709 | 77°F |
| Athens | 30601 | 73°F |
| Atl | 30347 | 73°F |
| Atlanta | 30301 | 73°F |
| Augusta | 30901 | 72°F |
| Austell | 30106 | 71°F |
| Bainbridge | 39817 | 84°F |
| Baxley | 31513 | 81°F |
| Blairsville | 30512 | 73°F |
| Brunswick | 31520 | 81°F |
| Buford | 30515 | 73°F |
| Cairo | 39827 | 84°F |
| Calhoun | 30701 | 72°F |
| Canton | 30114 | 73°F |
| Carrollton | 30112 | 71°F |
| Cartersville | 30120 | 72°F |
| Columbus | 31901 | 75°F |
| Commerce | 30529 | 73°F |
| Conyers | 30012 | 73°F |
| Cordele | 31010 | 77°F |
| Covington | 30014 | 81°F |
| Cumming | 30028 | 73°F |
| Dahlonega | 30533 | 73°F |
| Dallas | 30132 | 71°F |
| Dalton | 30719 | 72°F |
| Decatur | 30030 | 73°F |
| Douglas | 31533 | 81°F |
| Douglasville | 30133 | 71°F |
| Dublin | 31021 | 81°F |
| Duluth | 30095 | 73°F |
| Eatonton | 31024 | 81°F |
| Ellijay | 30536 | 72°F |
| Fayetteville | 30214 | 71°F |
| Forest Park | 30297 | 73°F |
| Fort Benning | 31905 | 75°F |
| Fort Stewart | 31314 | 75°F |
| Gainesville | 30501 | 73°F |
| Griffin | 30223 | 81°F |
| Hinesville | 31310 | 75°F |
| Jesup | 31545 | 81°F |
| Jonesboro | 30236 | 81°F |
| Kennesaw | 30144 | 73°F |
| Lagrange | 30240 | 71°F |
| Lawrenceville | 30042 | 73°F |
| Lilburn | 30047 | 73°F |
| Lithonia | 30038 | 73°F |
| Macon | 31201 | 81°F |
| Marietta | 30006 | 73°F |
| Mcdonough | 30252 | 81°F |
| Milledgeville | 31059 | 81°F |
| Monroe | 30655 | 73°F |
| Morrow | 30260 | 73°F |
| Moultrie | 31768 | 84°F |
| Newnan | 30263 | 71°F |
| Norcross | 30003 | 73°F |
| North Metro | 30026 | 73°F |
| Peachtree City | 30269 | 71°F |
| Reidsville | 30453 | 75°F |
| Riverdale | 30274 | 73°F |
| Rome | 30161 | 72°F |
| Roswell | 30075 | 73°F |
| Savannah | 31401 | 75°F |
| Smyrna | 30080 | 73°F |
| Snellville | 30039 | 73°F |
| Statesboro | 30458 | 75°F |
| Stone Mountain | 30083 | 73°F |
| Thomasville | 31757 | 84°F |
| Tifton | 31793 | 77°F |
| Tucker | 30084 | 73°F |
| Valdosta | 31601 | 78°F |
| Vidalia | 30474 | 75°F |
| Warner Robins | 31088 | 81°F |
| Waycross | 31501 | 81°F |
| Woodstock | 30188 | 73°F |
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 Georgia is 79°F. Readings range from 73°F to 84°F depending on location and elevation, from 5 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Georgia is running 3°F above the seasonal normal of 76°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 Georgia, so check your city's page for station-specific readings and the pre-emergent timing recommendation.
Georgia 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 March 16, 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.