Soilclock

Arizona 66°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

The middle reading of 5 Arizona cities, 2 inches down, on Nov 3. Pick a city for its forecast and lawn calendar.

Arizona cities today

Estimated daily average soil temperature at 2 inches, the difference from normal for the date, and the change over the last week. Arizona spans warm-season grass country and cool-season grass country.

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
Phoenix 66°68° −3°−4° early Feb – Feb 15 –
Tucson 65°67° −3°−5° early Feb – Feb 15 –
Mesa 69°71° −3°−5° No clear window –
Yuma 71°73° −1°−3° No clear window –
Flagstaff 43°45° −1°−1° May 4 – May 27 Oct 8

When to apply pre-emergent in Arizona

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across Arizona that has typically happened first in Phoenix, around Feb 1, and last in Flagstaff, around May 4. The window closes when soil holds 55°F and crabgrass starts sprouting.

Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.

Last good week to seed in Arizona

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 Arizona lawns

Crabgrass is the weed spring pre-emergents are timed for. Lawns here are mostly cool-season grasses in the north and warm-season grasses in the south.

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