The current average 2-inch soil temperature across Mississippi is 78°F. Readings range from 68°F to 86°F, from 15 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Mississippi is running 5°F above the seasonal normal of 73°F for early October, based on 15 of 15 stations with historical records. Mississippi spans USDA hardiness zones 7b to 9a, crossing from cool-season into warm-season grass country. Last updated September 30, 2026.
Soil across Mississippi is cooling off its summer peak at an average of 78°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 Mississippi 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 18.
| Region | Typical planting window opens | Stations |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Mississippi | April 26 | 6 |
| Central Mississippi | April 4 | 6 |
| Southern Mississippi | April 3 | 4 |
Timing varies within Mississippi: your city page tracks the local window from its nearest station: see when to plant in Jackson, when to plant in Meridian or when to plant in Hattiesburg. Readings current through September 30, 2026: Mississippi averages 78°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 16 monitoring stations in Mississippi; your own window depends on your nearest station's readings.
Historical 2-inch soil temperature normals for Mississippi: the median across 16 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 | 46°F |
| February | 49°F |
| March | 58°F |
| April | 65°F |
| May | 73°F |
| June | 79°F |
| July | 83°F |
| August | 82°F |
| September | 77°F |
| October | 68°F |
| November | 58°F |
| December | 52°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 Mississippi. 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 Mississippi. For accumulated-heat timing, see growing degree days for Mississippi. For how wet the ground is versus normal, see soil moisture for Mississippi. See the Mississippi soil temperature map for the full station view.
Interpolated from the latest 4-inch readings and refreshed daily.
| Station | 2" Temp | Last Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Goodwin Ck Pasture (Panola) | 72°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Goodwin Ck Timber (Panola) | 68°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Beasley Lake (Sunflower) | 85°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Onward (Sharkey) | 78°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Tunica (Tunica) | 72°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Vance (Tallahatchie) | 80°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Perthshire (Bolivar) | 82°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Starkville (Oktibbeha) | 75°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Scott (Bolivar) | 77°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Tnc Fort Bayou (Jackson) | 79°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Silver City (Humphreys) | 74°F | 2026-09-27 |
| North Issaquena (Issaquena) | 82°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Sandy Ridge (Sunflower) | 86°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Mayday (Yazoo) | 82°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Holly Springs 4 N | 77°F | 2026-09-30 |
| Newton 5 ENE | — | 2026-09-30 |
Current 2-inch readings grouped along Mississippi'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 Mississippi (Panola, Tallahatchie, Tunica Counties) | 73°F | 68–80°F | 5 |
| Central Mississippi (Bolivar, Oktibbeha, Sunflower Counties) | 81°F | 75–86°F | 5 |
| Southern Mississippi (Humphreys, Issaquena, Jackson, Sharkey, Yazoo Counties) | 79°F | 74–82°F | 5 |
| City | ZIP | Current Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Bay Saint Louis | 39520 | 79°F |
| Biloxi | 39530 | 79°F |
| Brandon | 39042 | 82°F |
| Brookhaven | 39601 | 78°F |
| Cleveland | 38732 | 86°F |
| Clinton | 39056 | 82°F |
| Columbus | 39701 | 75°F |
| Corinth | 38834 | 70°F |
| Greenville | 38701 | 77°F |
| Greenwood | 38930 | 86°F |
| Grenada | 38901 | 68°F |
| Gulfport | 39501 | 79°F |
| Hattiesburg | 39401 | 79°F |
| Holly Springs | 38634 | 77°F |
| Jackson | 39201 | 82°F |
| Laurel | 39440 | 81°F |
| Madison | 39110 | 82°F |
| Mccomb | 39648 | 86°F* |
| Meridian | 39301 | 81°F |
| Moss Point | 39562 | 79°F |
| Natchez | 39120 | 78°F |
| Ocean Springs | 39564 | 79°F |
| Pascagoula | 39567 | 79°F |
| Pearl | 39208 | 82°F |
| Ridgeland | 39157 | 82°F |
| Southaven | 38671 | 72°F |
| Starkville | 39759 | 75°F |
| Stennis Space Center | 39522 | 79°F |
| Tupelo | 38801 | 75°F |
| Vicksburg | 39180 | 78°F |
| Walls | 38680 | 72°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 Mississippi is 78°F. Readings range from 68°F to 86°F depending on location and elevation, from 15 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Mississippi is running 5°F above the seasonal normal of 73°F for early October, based on 15 of 15 stations with historical records.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide when soil at 2 inches reaches 55°F for several consecutive days. Timing varies across Mississippi, so check your city's page for station-specific readings and the pre-emergent timing recommendation.
Mississippi 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 April 12, based on historical 2-inch soil temperature averages at 16 in-state stations. Timing varies by location, so check your city's planting window for the dates specific to your area.