ZIP 50173 · Marshalltown, IA · Nov 11, 2026
Soil temperature for ZIP code 50173
low 48°F · high 52°F
Modelled by NOAA GFS, not measured · run Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern) · grid cell 5 km from the ZIP centre point
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, modelled. Dots and line: daily average (dashed = forecast); bars: low to high; green band: 50–55°F.
View as table
| Day | Average | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 4 | 55.4°F | 51.7°F | 59.8°F | analysis |
| Nov 5 | 49.6°F | 49.2°F | 49.9°F | analysis |
| Nov 6 | 46.5°F | 45.4°F | 48.1°F | analysis |
| Nov 7 | 42.7°F | 39.8°F | 45.5°F | analysis |
| Nov 8 | 45.8°F | 42.7°F | 49.9°F | analysis |
| Nov 9 | 47.8°F | 44.0°F | 52.5°F | analysis |
| Nov 10 | 50.2°F | 47.4°F | 52.9°F | analysis |
| Today | 50.1°F | 47.9°F | 52.3°F | analysis |
| Nov 12 | 45.3°F | 43.8°F | 48.9°F | forecast |
| Nov 13 | 39.3°F | 38.5°F | 39.9°F | forecast |
| Nov 14 | 37.6°F | 36.6°F | 38.6°F | forecast |
| Nov 15 | 37.7°F | 36.8°F | 39.6°F | forecast |
| Nov 16 | 38.6°F | 36.6°F | 41.8°F | forecast |
| Nov 17 | 40.2°F | 37.2°F | 43.5°F | forecast |
Spring 2026 threshold dates
From the 5-day mean held for 10 days or more.
| Soil | What it means | Held from (spring 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 40°F | Peas and lettuce | Mar 21 |
| 50°F | Pre-emergent window opens | Apr 13 |
| 55°F | Crabgrass can germinate | May 12 |
| 60°F | Tomatoes | May 27 |
| 65°F | Warm-season grass seed | May 28 |
Nearby ZIP codes
Today's modelled average.
50142 50°F · 52339 50°F · 50106 50°F · 50632 50°F · 50078 50°F · 52342 50°F · 50158 50°F · 50141 50°F
More: crabgrass timing in Iowa · every Iowa city · how accurate the model is.
Questions
- What is the soil temperature in ZIP code 50173 today?
- About 50°F on average in the top 4 inches (0–10 cm), low 48°F and high 52°F, from NOAA's GFS model run of Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern). It is a model value for a grid cell 5 km from the ZIP centre, not a reading from your yard.
- Is it time for crabgrass preventer in 50173?
- The spring window is closed. It opens again when the soil holds 50°F. Last spring the soil held 50°F from Apr 13 and 55°F from May 12.
Data: Global Forecast System (GFS) 0.25°, soil temperature 0–10 cm (TSOIL) (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)); 2025 Gazetteer ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTA) and 2024 cartographic boundary state outlines (U.S. Census Bureau).