ZIP 50539 · Algona, IA · Nov 11, 2026

Soil temperature for ZIP code 50539

50°Faverage today, 0–4 in deep (modelled)
low 48°F · high 52°F

Modelled by NOAA GFS, not measured · run Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern) · grid cell 6.8 km from the ZIP centre point

On a week ago
No change
50°F on Nov 4
5-day mean
48°F
what the verdicts use
Held 55°F last spring
May 10
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, modelled. Dots and line: daily average (dashed = forecast); bars: low to high; green band: 50–55°F.

30°40°50°60°50–55°F windowNov 4Nov 6Nov 8TodayNov 14Nov 1650°50°44°
View as table
DayAverageLowHigh
Nov 450.0°F48.0°F52.7°Fanalysis
Nov 548.7°F48.0°F49.6°Fanalysis
Nov 643.4°F39.3°F46.3°Fanalysis
Nov 743.2°F38.4°F49.1°Fanalysis
Nov 848.1°F44.3°F52.0°Fanalysis
Nov 948.9°F43.8°F54.9°Fanalysis
Nov 1049.9°F45.2°F53.9°Fanalysis
Today50.1°F47.6°F52.5°Fanalysis
Nov 1244.0°F41.1°F47.1°Fforecast
Nov 1337.9°F35.9°F40.2°Fforecast
Nov 1436.8°F34.1°F40.9°Fforecast
Nov 1537.9°F34.2°F42.8°Fforecast
Nov 1643.5°F40.6°F47.3°Fforecast
Nov 1743.9°F40.4°F47.9°Fforecast
Source: NOAA NCEP GFS 0.25°, 0–10 cm soil temperature, run Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern).

Spring 2026 threshold dates

From the 5-day mean held for 10 days or more.

SoilWhat it meansHeld from (spring 2026)
40°FPeas and lettuceMar 21
50°FPre-emergent window opensApr 13
55°FCrabgrass can germinateMay 10
60°FTomatoesMay 25
65°FWarm-season grass seedMay 27

Nearby ZIP codes

Today's modelled average.

50559 50°F · 50578 50°F · 50528 50°F · 50517 50°F · 50598 50°F · 50522 50°F · 50514 50°F · 50590 50°F

More: crabgrass timing in Iowa · every Iowa city · how accurate the model is.

Questions

What is the soil temperature in ZIP code 50539 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 6.8 km from the ZIP centre, not a reading from your yard.
Is it time for crabgrass preventer in 50539?
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 10.

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).