Maricopa, Arizona · Nov 11, 2026
Soil temperature today in Maricopa
70°Faverage today, 0–4 in deep
low 64°F · high 77°F
low 64°F · high 77°F
Modelled by NOAA GFS · run Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern) · grid cell 7.8 km from Maricopa
On a week ago
2° warmer
68°F on Nov 4
Next 7 days
67–70°F
range of the daily averages forecast
Crabgrass pre-emergent
Season over
next window: when the soil holds 50°F
Held 55°F last spring
Jan 15
crabgrass germination temperature
What the soil says today
- Pre-emergentSeason over
- Cool-season seedToo late in the season
- Warm-season seedWarm enough
- TomatoesSoil warm enough
- Peas and lettuceWarm enough
From the 5-day mean of the modelled 0–4 in layer.
Soil temperature, 0–4 in: last 7 days and next 7
°F. Dots and line: daily average (dashed = forecast); bars: the day's low to high; green band: the 50–55°F pre-emergent window.
- Daily average
- Low to high
- 50–55°F window
View as table
| Day | Average | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 4 | 68.1°F | 62.9°F | 75.0°F | analysis |
| Nov 5 | 68.0°F | 62.4°F | 75.7°F | analysis |
| Nov 6 | 69.0°F | 63.6°F | 76.7°F | analysis |
| Nov 7 | 69.1°F | 63.8°F | 76.3°F | analysis |
| Nov 8 | 69.7°F | 64.8°F | 76.2°F | analysis |
| Nov 9 | 69.3°F | 64.0°F | 76.7°F | analysis |
| Nov 10 | 69.9°F | 64.0°F | 77.9°F | analysis |
| Today | 69.6°F | 64.1°F | 76.9°F | forecast |
| Nov 12 | 69.4°F | 63.8°F | 77.1°F | forecast |
| Nov 13 | 69.7°F | 65.8°F | 73.8°F | forecast |
| Nov 14 | 67.3°F | 63.4°F | 71.4°F | forecast |
| Nov 15 | 69.5°F | 66.1°F | 75.5°F | forecast |
| Nov 16 | 68.7°F | 63.6°F | 75.7°F | forecast |
| Nov 17 | 69.1°F | 64.5°F | 74.2°F | forecast |
What the soil says for each job
Today's verdicts use the 5-day mean of the modelled 0–4 in layer.
| Job | Soil rule | Today |
|---|---|---|
| Crabgrass pre-emergent | Apply while the soil holds 50 to 55°F, before crabgrass germinates at about 55°F | Season over Soil here stayed above 50°F all last winter, so the 50 to 55°F soil rule gives no spring window. Time pre-emergent to your local calendar. |
| Seed or overseed cool-season grass | Fescue, bluegrass and ryegrass germinate best in soil of 50 to 65°F | Too late in the season Past the usual Aug 15 to Oct 15 seeding window (70°F soil today). |
| Seed warm-season grass | Bermuda, zoysia and centipede need soil of 65°F or more | Warm enough 70°F: at or over 65°F. |
| Plant out tomatoes | Tomato roots want soil of 60°F or more (check your frost date as well) | Soil warm enough 70°F: at or over 60°F. Plant only after your last frost. |
| Sow peas, lettuce and spinach | Cool-weather crops germinate once soil reaches about 40°F | Warm enough 70°F: at or over 40°F. |
The 2026 season so far
°F, daily average of the 0–4 in layer since 1 January (dashed = forecast). Dots: the days the soil began to hold 50°F and 55°F.
- Daily average
- 50–55°F window
When the soil crossed each threshold
2026, from the 5-day mean held for 10 days or more.
| Soil | What it means | Held from (spring 2026) | Fell below (autumn 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40°F | Peas and lettuce can be sown | never below | not yet |
| 50°F | Pre-emergent window opens | never below | not yet |
| 55°F | Crabgrass can germinate | Jan 15 | not yet |
| 60°F | Warm enough for tomatoes | Feb 2 | not yet |
| 65°F | Warm-season grass seed | Feb 7 | not yet |
Soil temperature nearby
Each from a different model grid cell.
| City | Distance | Soil today | vs a week ago | Grass seed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casa Grande, AZ | 34 km | 69°F | +1°F | Too late in the season |
| Chandler, AZ | 34 km | 71°F | +2°F | Too late in the season |
| Phoenix, AZ | 43 km | 77°F | +2°F | Too late in the season |
| San Tan Valley, AZ | 51 km | 68°F | +2°F | Too late in the season |
| Buckeye, AZ | 61 km | 72°F | +2°F | Too late in the season |
| Fountain Hills, AZ | 69 km | 73°F | +2°F | Too late in the season |
Questions
- What is the soil temperature in Maricopa today?
- About 70°F on average in the top 4 inches (0–10 cm), with a low of 64°F and a high of 77°F, from NOAA's GFS model run of Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern).
- Is it time to put down crabgrass preventer in Maricopa?
- Soil here stayed above 50°F all last winter, so the 50 to 55°F soil rule gives no spring window. Time pre-emergent to your local calendar.
- When did the soil in Maricopa reach 55°F this year?
- The 5-day average held 55°F from Jan 15, 2026.
- How accurate is a modelled soil temperature?
- Against NOAA's 108 reference stations the model's daily average was off by 4.2°F on average, and within 5°F on 68% of days. A shaded, mulched or watered yard can differ more.
Data: Global Forecast System (GFS) 0.25°, soil temperature 0–10 cm (TSOIL) (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)); GeoNames gazetteer (cities15000) (GeoNames).