Springfield, Massachusetts · Nov 11, 2026

Soil temperature today in Springfield

48°Faverage today, 0–4 in deep
low 46°F · high 50°F

Modelled by NOAA GFS · run Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern) · grid cell 13.5 km from Springfield

On a week ago
9° cooler
57°F on Nov 4
Next 7 days
39–48°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
May 18
crabgrass germination temperature

What the soil says today

  • Pre-emergentSeason over
  • Cool-season seedToo late in the season
  • Warm-season seedToo cold
  • TomatoesToo cold
  • 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.

30°40°50°60°70°50–55°F windowNov 456789101112131415161757°40°
30°40°50°60°70°50–55°F windowNov 4Nov 6Nov 8Nov 10Nov 12Nov 14Nov 1657°40°
  • Daily average
  • Low to high
  • 50–55°F window
View as table
DayAverageLowHigh
Nov 457.4°F54.3°F60.7°Fanalysis
Nov 559.5°F57.3°F61.9°Fanalysis
Nov 662.0°F61.8°F62.4°Fanalysis
Nov 758.9°F56.6°F60.7°Fanalysis
Nov 851.5°F50.8°F53.0°Fanalysis
Nov 948.6°F47.6°F49.1°Fanalysis
Nov 1047.6°F45.3°F49.4°Fanalysis
Today48.1°F45.8°F49.7°Fforecast
Nov 1247.8°F47.4°F48.7°Fforecast
Nov 1344.2°F42.3°F46.5°Fforecast
Nov 1440.9°F40.2°F41.3°Fforecast
Nov 1539.4°F38.0°F40.5°Fforecast
Nov 1639.6°F38.2°F41.3°Fforecast
Nov 1739.5°F39.0°F40.7°Fforecast
Source: NOAA NCEP GFS 0.25°, 0–10 cm soil temperature, grid cell at 42.00°N 72.50°W. Run Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern).

What the soil says for each job

Today's verdicts use the 5-day mean of the modelled 0–4 in layer.

JobSoil ruleToday
Crabgrass pre-emergentApply while the soil holds 50 to 55°F, before crabgrass germinates at about 55°FSeason over
The spring window is closed. It opens again when the soil holds 50°F. Last spring the soil held 50°F from May 6 and 55°F from May 18.
Seed or overseed cool-season grassFescue, bluegrass and ryegrass germinate best in soil of 50 to 65°FToo late in the season
Past the usual Aug 15 to Oct 15 seeding window (51°F soil today).
Seed warm-season grassBermuda, zoysia and centipede need soil of 65°F or moreToo cold
51°F: under 65°F.
Plant out tomatoesTomato roots want soil of 60°F or more (check your frost date as well)Too cold
51°F: under 60°F.
Sow peas, lettuce and spinachCool-weather crops germinate once soil reaches about 40°FWarm enough
51°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.

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHeld 50°F from May 650° May 6Held 55°F from May 1855° May 18
10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°JMMJSNHeld 50°F from May 650° May 6Held 55°F from May 1855° May 18
  • Daily average
  • 50–55°F window
Source: NOAA NCEP GFS analyses, 4 a day. Dates use the 5-day mean, held for 10 days or more.

When the soil crossed each threshold

2026, from the 5-day mean held for 10 days or more.

SoilWhat it meansHeld from (spring 2026)Fell below (autumn 2026)
40°FPeas and lettuce can be sownMar 30not yet
50°FPre-emergent window opensMay 6not yet
55°FCrabgrass can germinateMay 18Oct 18
60°FWarm enough for tomatoesJun 6Sep 23
65°FWarm-season grass seedJun 9Sep 15

Growing degree days in Springfield

Base 50°F, from 1 January to Nov 8, at the Westfield 3 Sw station (17.7 km).

GDD in 2026
2,976
to Nov 8
Same date in 2025
3,000
24 fewer this year
All of 2025
3,002
full-year total

A growing degree day is each degree that the day's average temperature runs above 50°F. Insects, weeds and crops develop by accumulated GDD, so the number says how far the season has run. Every city.

Soil temperature nearby

Each from a different model grid cell.

CityDistanceSoil todayvs a week agoGrass seed
Amherst, MA30 km48°F−8°FToo late in the season
Hartford, CT38 km52°F−9°FToo late in the season
Southbridge, MA46 km48°F−8°FToo late in the season
Mansfield City, CT48 km49°F−8°FToo late in the season
Greenfield, MA54 km47°F−8°FToo late in the season
West Torrington, CT56 km47°F−8°FToo late in the season

This page also covers Chicopee (5.5 km), North Chicopee (9.1 km), Enfield (13.9 km), Westfield (13.4 km), Holyoke (11.6 km), Agawam (4.1 km), West Springfield (2.6 km), Ludlow (11.4 km), Palmer (22.4 km), Longmeadow (5.7 km) and 1 more: they share the same model grid cell area, within 25 km.

Questions

What is the soil temperature in Springfield today?
About 48°F on average in the top 4 inches (0–10 cm), with a low of 46°F and a high of 50°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 Springfield?
The spring window is closed. It opens again when the soil holds 50°F. Last spring the soil held 50°F from May 6 and 55°F from May 18.
When did the soil in Springfield reach 55°F this year?
The 5-day average held 55°F from May 18, 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)); U.S. Climate Reference Network (USCRN) hourly data, version 2 (soil temperature at 5 cm and 10 cm, air temperature) (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)); Global Historical Climatology Network - Daily (GHCN-Daily), daily maximum and minimum temperature (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)); GeoNames gazetteer (cities15000) (GeoNames).