What is the soil temperature in ZIP code 78503 today?

About 72°F on average in the top 4 inches (0–10 cm), low 69°F and high 76°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 9.7 km from the ZIP centre, not a reading from your yard.

Is it time for crabgrass preventer in 78503?

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.

ZIP 78503 · McAllen, TX · Nov 11, 2026

Soil temperature for ZIP code 78503

72°Faverage today, 0–4 in deep (modelled)
low 69°F · high 76°F

Modelled by NOAA GFS, not measured · run Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern) · grid cell 9.7 km from the ZIP centre point

On a week ago

13° cooler

85°F on Nov 4

5-day mean

76°F

what the verdicts use

Held 55°F last spring

All winter

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, 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	84.7°F	79.8°F	89.4°F	analysis
Nov 5	82.9°F	76.6°F	89.4°F	analysis
Nov 6	83.7°F	80.0°F	85.4°F	analysis
Nov 7	80.5°F	76.2°F	83.2°F	analysis
Nov 8	79.2°F	75.6°F	81.4°F	analysis
Nov 9	75.5°F	74.7°F	77.1°F	analysis
Nov 10	71.7°F	70.4°F	73.7°F	analysis
Today	72.0°F	69.2°F	75.6°F	analysis
Nov 12	73.1°F	70.1°F	76.1°F	forecast
Nov 13	74.9°F	68.9°F	81.0°F	forecast
Nov 14	74.5°F	70.3°F	77.9°F	forecast
Nov 15	75.4°F	70.2°F	79.8°F	forecast
Nov 16	74.2°F	73.3°F	75.8°F	forecast
Nov 17	69.5°F	68.9°F	70.3°F	forecast

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.

Soil	What it means	Held from (spring 2026)
40°F	Peas and lettuce	never below
50°F	Pre-emergent window opens	never below
55°F	Crabgrass can germinate	never below
60°F	Tomatoes	Feb 1
65°F	Warm-season grass seed	Feb 5

McAllen, TX, 5 km away: the full city page, with the 2026 season chart, growing degree days and nearby cities →

Nearby ZIP codes

Today's modelled average.

78577 72°F · 78557 72°F · 78501 72°F · 78589 72°F · 78572 72°F · 78516 71°F · 78504 72°F · 78539 72°F

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

Questions

What is the soil temperature in ZIP code 78503 today?: About 72°F on average in the top 4 inches (0–10 cm), low 69°F and high 76°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 9.7 km from the ZIP centre, not a reading from your yard.
Is it time for crabgrass preventer in 78503?: 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.

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).