ZIP 88256 · New Mexico · Nov 11, 2026

Soil temperature for ZIP code 88256

63°Faverage today, 0–4 in deep (modelled)
low 57°F · high 70°F

Modelled by NOAA GFS, not measured · run Nov 11, 12:00 UTC (7 am Eastern) · grid cell 12.2 km from the ZIP centre point

On a week ago
1° cooler
64°F on Nov 4
5-day mean
61°F
what the verdicts use
Held 55°F last spring
Feb 8
crabgrass germination temperature

What the soil says today

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

40°50°60°70°80°50–55°F windowNov 4Nov 6Nov 8TodayNov 14Nov 1664°63°58°
View as table
DayAverageLowHigh
Nov 464.3°F58.6°F70.9°Fanalysis
Nov 563.9°F59.1°F68.5°Fanalysis
Nov 661.7°F55.7°F67.8°Fanalysis
Nov 760.5°F58.8°F63.1°Fanalysis
Nov 859.3°F56.6°F61.7°Fanalysis
Nov 960.2°F57.7°F64.8°Fanalysis
Nov 1061.8°F55.3°F70.4°Fanalysis
Today62.9°F56.8°F70.1°Fanalysis
Nov 1263.2°F56.9°F70.0°Fforecast
Nov 1362.6°F56.4°F69.2°Fforecast
Nov 1462.5°F60.6°F63.4°Fforecast
Nov 1560.9°F55.3°F67.9°Fforecast
Nov 1658.8°F57.0°F60.2°Fforecast
Nov 1758.1°F56.4°F61.6°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 lettuceFeb 1
50°FPre-emergent window opensFeb 5
55°FCrabgrass can germinateFeb 8
60°FTomatoesFeb 11
65°FWarm-season grass seedFeb 28

Carlsbad, NM, 41 km away: the full city page, with the 2026 season chart, growing degree days and nearby cities →

This ZIP code area covers about 482 square miles; the reading is for the model grid cell nearest its Census centre point, which can be far from where you are. Try a neighbouring ZIP if it looks off.

Nearby ZIP codes

Today's modelled average.

88263 63°F · 79770 63°F · 88268 60°F · 88252 63°F · 88220 60°F · 79754 65°F · 88231 61°F · 88265 61°F

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

Questions

What is the soil temperature in ZIP code 88256 today?
About 63°F on average in the top 4 inches (0–10 cm), low 57°F and high 70°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 12.2 km from the ZIP centre, not a reading from your yard.
Is it time for crabgrass preventer in 88256?
The spring window is closed. It opens again when the soil holds 50°F. Last spring the soil held 50°F from Feb 5 and 55°F from Feb 8.

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).