Updated daily

Minnesota soil temperature

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Estimated 2–4 inch soil temperature, statewide average . Based on NOAA weather stations near representative Minnesota locations.

Check your exact ZIP

Enter your ZIP code for the estimated soil temperature near you, plus what it means for seasonal pre-emergent timing. Use the separate tools below for other lawn tasks.

What this soil temperature means for your Minnesota lawn

The Minnesota reading loads from the latest daily data. Use the value above or enter your ZIP code for a location-specific recommendation.

Estimated soil temperature at Minnesota locations

ZIP code Est. soil temp Data through
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Values load from each ZIP's nearest NOAA station in the current R2 snapshot. Enter your own ZIP above for a reading closer to home.

The Frozen Months: When Minnesota Soil Shuts Down

Minnesota soil temperature spends a large share of the year at or below freezing. Lawn-depth soil typically locks up in late November and stays frozen into late March or April, with frost penetrating two to five feet deep depending on snow cover and the severity of the winter. Northern Minnesota freezes earlier and thaws later than the Twin Cities by two weeks or more on both ends.

Snow is the wildcard. A deep, early snowpack insulates the ground and actually limits frost depth, while a cold, open winter drives frost deep and delays the spring thaw. This is also when the estimate on this page is least reliable: under snow, actual soil temperature decouples from air temperature, so treat winter readings as rough at best.

A Compressed Spring: From Thaw to 55 Degrees Fast

When spring finally arrives, Minnesota soil warms in a hurry. The stretch from snowmelt to a sustained 55°F at 2-4 inches often takes just four to six weeks, compressing the entire early-season lawn checklist. Twin Cities lawns usually cross 55°F in late April to early May; Rochester and the south run about a week earlier, while Duluth, the Iron Range, and lakeshore soils near Superior can wait until mid-to-late May.

The compensation for the late start is that crabgrass germinates later here than almost anywhere in the lower 48, so the window between workable soil and weed germination is short but real. University of Minnesota Extension frames spring timing around soil temperature and growing degree days precisely because Minnesota springs vary so much year to year.

Fall Comes Early: The 70-to-50 Slide

Minnesota lawn soil rarely spends long above 70°F; even Twin Cities soil usually peaks in the mid-70s in July and starts sliding by mid-August. That early cool-down is good news for the Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue lawns that dominate the state, and it opens the prime seeding window earlier than in states to the south: mid-August through early September, while soil is still warm enough for fast germination.

The same slide sets the fall deadlines. Seeding after mid-September in the Twin Cities, or early September up north, risks seedlings entering winter underdeveloped. The last fertilizer application belongs in early-to-mid September while roots are still active, well before soil temperature for grass growth in Minnesota drops through the 40s in October.

How Minnesota compares to the rest of the country

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Estimated 2–4 inch soil temperature by state . Tap a state for its detailed page.

About Minnesota lawns

Minnesota is in USDA Hardiness Zones 3a-5a, with a cool-season lawn climate. Common grass types include Kentucky Bluegrass, Fine Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass.

These estimates are modeled from air temperature (about ±5°F at 2–4 inch depth — methodology). For local agronomic guidance, see the University of Minnesota Extension.

Common Minnesota soil temperature questions

What is the current soil temperature in Minnesota?

This page shows a statewide estimated 2–4 inch soil temperature for Minnesota, recomputed daily from NOAA weather station records, plus per-ZIP estimates for representative Minnesota locations. Enter your ZIP code for the reading nearest you.

At what soil temperature should I apply pre-emergent in Minnesota?

Apply pre-emergent when Minnesota soil temperatures approach 55°F at a 2–4 inch depth in spring — crabgrass germinates as soil holds 55°F and above. In Minnesota that typically happens late april to mid-may.

What soil temperature does grass seed need in Minnesota?

Soil temperature alone does not set a seeding date. Seeding timing for common Minnesota lawns (Kentucky Bluegrass, Fine Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass) follows published regional calendars for each grass type; the overseeding tool shows any calendar available for your ZIP, with this estimate as context.

How accurate is this Minnesota soil temperature estimate?

It is modeled from air temperatures with a published lag model, not measured by in-ground sensors, and is typically within about ±5°F at 2–4 inch depth. Shade, moisture, and snow cover shift real readings; for precise numbers use a soil thermometer or University of Minnesota Extension resources.

When does soil freeze in Minnesota?

Lawn-depth soil typically drops below 32°F in mid-to-late November in the Twin Cities and one to three weeks earlier in northern Minnesota. The ground then stays frozen through winter, thawing in late March to mid-April in the south and as late as early May in the far north. Exact dates swing with snow cover, since snow insulates soil from the coldest air.

How deep does frost go in Minnesota soil?

In an average winter, frost reaches roughly 2-4 feet in southern Minnesota and 4-5 feet or more in the north, which is why building codes put footings at 42-60 inches. Deep frost matters for lawns because a deeply frozen profile takes weeks longer to thaw and warm in spring, delaying everything that follows.

Why does Duluth soil stay cold so much longer than the Twin Cities?

Three factors stack up: Duluth sits farther north, holds snowpack later, and borders Lake Superior, whose water stays near 40°F into summer. Onshore winds off the lake suppress spring air and soil temperatures along the North Shore, so Duluth-area lawns commonly cross 55°F two to three weeks after Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Soil temperature in nearby states

AlaskaConnecticutDelawareIllinoisIndiana

View the national soil temperature map