The current average 2-inch soil temperature across Kentucky is 80°F. Readings range from 79°F to 81°F, from 3 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Kentucky is running 4°F above the seasonal normal of 76°F for mid-August, based on 3 of 3 stations with historical records. Kentucky spans USDA hardiness zones 6b to 7a, cool-season grass country. Last updated August 16, 2026.
Summer conditions across Kentucky with soil averaging 80°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.
Kentucky 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 Kentucky, 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 November 13.
Spring is the second choice: the window opens when soil first holds 50°F and narrows as soil passes 65°F, typically by May 13.
For warm-season lawns (bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine), the best time to plant grass seed in Kentucky 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 8.
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 Louisville, when to plant in Lexington or when to plant in Frankfort. Readings current through August 16, 2026: Kentucky averages 80°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 3 monitoring stations in Kentucky; your own window depends on your nearest station's readings.
Historical 2-inch soil temperature normals for Kentucky: the median across 3 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 | 39°F |
| February | 42°F |
| March | 50°F |
| April | 58°F |
| May | 66°F |
| June | 73°F |
| July | 78°F |
| August | 77°F |
| September | 71°F |
| October | 61°F |
| November | 51°F |
| December | 45°F |
Grass seed germination
Grass seed germination temperatures across Kentucky. 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 Kentucky. For accumulated-heat timing, see growing degree days for Kentucky. For how wet the ground is versus normal, see soil moisture for Kentucky. See the Kentucky soil temperature map for the full station view.
Interpolated from the latest 4-inch readings and refreshed daily.
| Station | 2" Temp | Last Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton #1 (Caldwell) | 81°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Mammoth Cave (Hart) | 81°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Versailles 3 NNW | 79°F | 2026-08-10 |
| City | ZIP | Current Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Ashland | 41101 | 78°F* |
| Berea | 40403 | 79°F |
| Bowling Green | 42101 | 81°F |
| Campbellsville | 42718 | 81°F |
| Corbin | 40701 | 78°F* |
| Covington | 41011 | 79°F |
| Danville | 40422 | 79°F |
| Elizabethtown | 42701 | 81°F |
| Erlanger | 41018 | 79°F |
| Florence | 41022 | 79°F |
| Fort Knox | 40121 | 81°F |
| Frankfort | 40601 | 79°F |
| Franklin | 42134 | 81°F |
| Glasgow | 42141 | 81°F |
| Hazard | 41701 | 78°F* |
| Hebron | 41021 | 79°F |
| Henderson | 42419 | 81°F |
| Hopkinsville | 42240 | 81°F |
| La Grange | 40031 | 79°F |
| Lancaster | 40444 | 79°F |
| Leitchfield | 42754 | 81°F |
| Lexington | 40502 | 79°F |
| London | 40741 | 79°F |
| Louisville | 40201 | 79°F |
| Newport | 41071 | 79°F |
| Nicholasville | 40340 | 79°F |
| Owensboro | 42301 | 81°F |
| Paducah | 42001 | 81°F |
| Paris | 40361 | 79°F |
| Pikeville | 41501 | 79°F* |
| Radcliff | 40159 | 81°F |
| Richmond | 40475 | 79°F |
| Shelbyville | 40065 | 79°F |
| Shepherdsville | 40165 | 79°F |
| Somerset | 42501 | 79°F |
| Versailles | 40383 | 79°F |
| Winchester | 40391 | 79°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 Kentucky is 80°F. Readings range from 79°F to 81°F depending on location and elevation, from 3 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Kentucky is running 4°F above the seasonal normal of 76°F for mid-August, based on 3 of 3 stations with historical records.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide when soil at 2 inches reaches 55°F for several consecutive days. Timing varies across Kentucky, so check your city's page for station-specific readings and the pre-emergent timing recommendation.
Kentucky spans USDA hardiness zones 6b to 7a, cool-season grass country. For cool-season grasses (fescue, bluegrass), the fall window typically opens around September 8 and the spring window around March 5; for warm-season grasses (bermuda, zoysia), the window typically opens around May 13, based on historical 2-inch soil temperature averages at 3 in-state stations. Timing varies by location, so check your city's planting window for the dates specific to your area.