Soilclock

Wisconsin 57°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

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

Wisconsin cities today

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

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
Milwaukee 58°59° +12°+1° Apr 22 – May 13 Oct 22
Madison 58°59° +14°+2° Apr 16 – May 3 Oct 15
Green Bay 56°57° +13°+3° Apr 21 – May 12 Oct 14
Kenosha 57°58° +12°+1° Apr 20 – May 8 Oct 20
Eau Claire 57°58° +16°+4° Apr 18 – May 9 Oct 13

When to apply pre-emergent in Wisconsin

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across Wisconsin that has typically happened first in Madison, around Apr 16, and last in Milwaukee, around Apr 22. 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 Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin 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