Soilclock

Pennsylvania 53°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

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

Pennsylvania cities today

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

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
Philadelphia 53°55° +1°±0° Mar 27 – Apr 16 Nov 4
Pittsburgh 60°60° +11°+6° Apr 3 – Apr 15 Oct 24
Allentown 51°52° +3°+1° Apr 7 – Apr 23 Oct 25
Reading 53°54° +3°+1° Apr 5 – Apr 17 Oct 28
Erie 60°60° +11°+8° Apr 16 – May 3 Oct 24
Scranton 52°53° +5°+3° Apr 11 – Apr 24 Oct 20

When to apply pre-emergent in Pennsylvania

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across Pennsylvania that has typically happened first in Philadelphia, around Mar 27, and last in Erie, around Apr 16. 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 Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania 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