Soilclock

New York 56°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

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

New York cities today

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

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
New York 56°57° +3°+1° Apr 5 – Apr 16 Nov 5
Buffalo 57°57° +10°+6° Apr 21 – May 6 Oct 22
Yonkers 58°60° +4°±0° Apr 1 – Apr 21 Nov 7
Rochester 56°56° +9°+8° Apr 16 – May 5 Oct 19
Syracuse 50°52° +4°+1° Apr 17 – May 3 Oct 19
Albany 51°52° +5°+5° Apr 15 – May 3 Oct 19

When to apply pre-emergent in New York

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across New York that has typically happened first in Yonkers, around Apr 1, and last in Buffalo, around Apr 21. 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 New York

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 New York lawns

Crabgrass is the weed spring pre-emergents are timed for. Lawns here are mostly cool-season grasses such as bluegrass and fescue.

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