The current average 2-inch soil temperature across Mississippi is 86°F. Readings range from 76°F to 94°F, from 16 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Mississippi is running 4°F above the seasonal normal of 82°F for mid-August, based on 16 of 16 stations with historical records. Mississippi spans USDA hardiness zones 7b to 9a, crossing from cool-season into warm-season grass country. Last updated August 16, 2026.
Summer conditions across Mississippi with soil averaging 86°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.
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 August 16, 2026: Mississippi averages 86°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 |
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 | 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 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) | 80°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Goodwin Ck Timber (Panola) | 76°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Beasley Lake (Sunflower) | 91°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Onward (Sharkey) | 85°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Tunica (Tunica) | 80°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Vance (Tallahatchie) | 92°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Perthshire (Bolivar) | 94°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Starkville (Oktibbeha) | 85°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Scott (Bolivar) | 84°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Tnc Fort Bayou (Jackson) | 83°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Silver City (Humphreys) | 81°F | 2026-08-16 |
| North Issaquena (Issaquena) | 94°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Sandy Ridge (Sunflower) | 94°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Mayday (Yazoo) | 90°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Holly Springs 4 N | 84°F | 2026-08-16 |
| Newton 5 ENE | 86°F | 2026-08-16 |
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 (Bolivar, Panola, Tallahatchie, Tunica Counties) | 84°F | 76–94°F | 6 |
| Central Mississippi (Bolivar, Humphreys, Issaquena, Oktibbeha, Sunflower Counties) | 88°F | 81–94°F | 6 |
| Southern Mississippi (Jackson, Sharkey, Yazoo Counties) | 86°F | 83–90°F | 4 |
| City | ZIP | Current Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Bay Saint Louis | 39520 | 83°F |
| Biloxi | 39530 | 83°F |
| Brandon | 39042 | 90°F |
| Brookhaven | 39601 | 91°F* |
| Cleveland | 38732 | 94°F |
| Clinton | 39056 | 90°F |
| Columbus | 39701 | 85°F |
| Corinth | 38834 | 80°F |
| Greenville | 38701 | 84°F |
| Greenwood | 38930 | 94°F |
| Grenada | 38901 | 76°F |
| Gulfport | 39501 | 83°F |
| Hattiesburg | 39401 | 83°F |
| Holly Springs | 38634 | 84°F |
| Jackson | 39201 | 90°F |
| Laurel | 39440 | 86°F |
| Madison | 39110 | 90°F |
| Mccomb | 39648 | 89°F* |
| Meridian | 39301 | 86°F |
| Moss Point | 39562 | 83°F |
| Natchez | 39120 | 90°F* |
| Ocean Springs | 39564 | 83°F |
| Pascagoula | 39567 | 83°F |
| Pearl | 39208 | 90°F |
| Ridgeland | 39157 | 90°F |
| Southaven | 38671 | 80°F |
| Starkville | 39759 | 85°F |
| Stennis Space Center | 39522 | 83°F |
| Tupelo | 38801 | 85°F |
| Vicksburg | 39180 | 85°F |
| Walls | 38680 | 80°F |
Modeled estimate where no monitoring station is within 75 miles; all other readings are measured at USDA and NOAA stations.
Spring broadleaf timing for St.
Nutsedge is a sedge, not a grass, which is why standard weed control fails.
Learn how to mix, calibrate, and spray liquid pre-emergent herbicide.
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 86°F. Readings range from 76°F to 94°F depending on location and elevation, from 16 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Mississippi is running 4°F above the seasonal normal of 82°F for mid-August, based on 16 of 16 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.