Soilclock

Alabama 68°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

The middle reading of 6 Alabama cities, 2 inches down, on Nov 3. Pick a city for its forecast and lawn calendar.

Alabama cities today

Estimated daily average soil temperature at 2 inches, the difference from normal for the date, and the change over the last week. Alabama spans the transition zone, where both cool- and warm-season lawns grow and warm-season grass country.

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
Huntsville 65°66° +7°+6° Feb 15 – Mar 13 Nov 12
Birmingham 67°68° +8°+4° Feb 11 – Mar 7 Nov 18
Montgomery 68°69° +7°+7° Feb 5 – Feb 23 –
Mobile 72°72° +7°+5° early Feb – Feb 20 –
Tuscaloosa 68°68° +9°+7° Feb 10 – Mar 1 Nov 18
Dothan 69°70° +7°+7° early Feb – Feb 22 –

When to apply pre-emergent in Alabama

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across Alabama that has typically happened first in Mobile, around Feb 1, and last in Huntsville, around Feb 15. The window closes when soil holds 55°F and crabgrass starts sprouting.

A low mat of bermudagrass with fine blades and seed heads
Bermudagrass, the warm-season grass behind most lawns from the Carolinas to Texas.

Last good week to seed in Alabama

Tall fescue and bluegrass seed sprouts best while 4-inch soil is between 55 and 70°F. The typical last day above 55°F:

What grows in Alabama lawns

Crabgrass is the weed spring pre-emergents are timed for. Lawns here are mostly warm-season grasses such as bermuda.

Large crabgrass with its spreading finger-like seed heads
Large crabgrass in seed. Each plant can drop thousands of seeds that wait for warm spring soil.
Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.
A low mat of bermudagrass with fine blades and seed heads
Bermudagrass, the warm-season grass behind most lawns from the Carolinas to Texas.

Other states