The current average 2-inch soil temperature across Missouri is 77°F. Readings range from 70°F to 82°F, from 15 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Missouri is running 6°F above the seasonal normal of 71°F for mid-September, based on 15 of 15 stations with historical records. Missouri spans USDA hardiness zones 6a to 7a, cool-season grass country. Last updated September 14, 2026.
Soil across Missouri is cooling off its summer peak at an average of 77°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.
Missouri 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 Missouri, 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 11.
Spring is the second choice: the window opens when soil first holds 50°F and narrows as soil passes 65°F, typically by May 9.
For warm-season lawns (bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine), the best time to plant grass seed in Missouri 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 6.
| Region | Typical spring window opens | Typical fall window opens | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Missouri | March 4 | September 8 | 5 |
| Central Missouri | March 23 | September 7 | 5 |
| Western Missouri | March 22 | September 6 | 5 |
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 Kansas City, when to plant in Saint Louis or when to plant in Springfield. Readings current through September 14, 2026: Missouri averages 77°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 15 monitoring stations in Missouri; your own window depends on your nearest station's readings.
Historical 2-inch soil temperature normals for Missouri: the median across 15 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 | 37°F |
| February | 39°F |
| March | 48°F |
| April | 57°F |
| May | 66°F |
| June | 74°F |
| July | 77°F |
| August | 76°F |
| September | 70°F |
| October | 60°F |
| November | 49°F |
| December | 42°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 Missouri. 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 Missouri. For accumulated-heat timing, see growing degree days for Missouri. For how wet the ground is versus normal, see soil moisture for Missouri. See the Missouri soil temperature map for the full station view.
Interpolated from the latest 4-inch readings and refreshed daily.
| Station | 2" Temp | Last Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Spickard (Audrain) | 72°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Dexter (Stoddard) | 82°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Mt Vernon (Lawrence) | 78°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Powell Gardens (Johnson) | 77°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Schell-Osage (St. Clair) | 79°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Journagan Ranch (Douglas) | 78°F | 2026-09-14 |
| CMRB LTAR-MO (Boone) | 75°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Elsberry PMC (Lincoln) | 75°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Carver Farm (Cole) | 78°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Shaw Nature Reserve (Franklin) | 78°F | 2026-09-14 |
| LTSP (Shannon) | 79°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Sinkin Forest (Dent) | 78°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Chillicothe 22 ENE | 70°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Joplin 24 N | 76°F | 2026-09-14 |
| Salem 10 W | 78°F | 2026-09-14 |
Current 2-inch readings grouped along Missouri's east-to-west 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Missouri (Dent, Franklin, Lincoln, Shannon, Stoddard Counties) | 78°F | 75–82°F | 5 |
| Central Missouri (Boone, Cole, Douglas Counties) | 76°F | 70–78°F | 5 |
| Western Missouri (Audrain, Johnson, Lawrence, St. Clair Counties) | 76°F | 72–79°F | 5 |
| City | ZIP | Current Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Ballwin | 63011 | 78°F |
| Blue Springs | 64013 | 77°F |
| Branson | 65615 | 78°F |
| Cape Girardeau | 63701 | 82°F |
| Chesterfield | 63005 | 78°F |
| Columbia | 65201 | 75°F |
| Fenton | 63026 | 78°F |
| Florissant | 63031 | 75°F |
| Hollister | 65672 | 78°F |
| Independence | 64050 | 77°F |
| Jefferson City | 65101 | 78°F |
| Joplin | 64801 | 76°F |
| Kansas City | 64101 | 74°F |
| Lees Summit | 64002 | 77°F |
| Liberty | 64068 | 77°F |
| O Fallon | 63366 | 75°F |
| Osceola | 64776 | 79°F |
| Poplar Bluff | 63901 | 82°F |
| Rolla | 65401 | 78°F |
| Saint Charles | 63301 | 78°F |
| Saint Joseph | 64501 | 74°F |
| Saint Louis | 63101 | 78°F |
| Saint Louis | 63101 | 78°F |
| Sedalia | 65301 | 77°F |
| Springfield | 65801 | 78°F |
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.
Apply fall pre-emergent when 2-inch soil falls back through 70°F and keeps declining; that crossing is when poa annua and winter annual weeds sprout.
Fall is when broadleaf herbicide works hardest.
The current average 2-inch soil temperature across Missouri is 77°F. Readings range from 70°F to 82°F depending on location and elevation, from 15 USDA and NOAA monitoring stations. Soil across Missouri is running 6°F above the seasonal normal of 71°F for mid-September, 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 Missouri, so check your city's page for station-specific readings and the pre-emergent timing recommendation.
Missouri spans USDA hardiness zones 6a to 7a, cool-season grass country. For cool-season grasses (fescue, bluegrass), the fall window typically opens around September 7 and the spring window around March 22; for warm-season grasses (bermuda, zoysia), the window typically opens around May 9, based on historical 2-inch soil temperature averages at 15 in-state stations. Timing varies by location, so check your city's planting window for the dates specific to your area.