Charleston
Treat broadleaf54°F→ steady
Fall is the best time to treat dandelions and clover: they pull weed killer down to their roots.
Broadleaf window Sep 12 – Oct 31
West Virginia Weed Watch · updated Nov 3, 1:18 AM CT
When to apply pre-emergent in West Virginia
Live soil temperatures for Charleston, Huntington and Morgantown, updated every three hours. Weeds sprout by soil temperature, not by the calendar, so the right week moves from year to year.
Most West Virginia lawns get pre-emergent twice a year: in spring for crabgrass and in fall for winter weeds. In Charleston and Morgantown, cool summers mean fall seeding, so it is spring only there.
Spring pre-emergentNext season
Typically Mar 16 – Apr 13
Stops crabgrass and other summer weeds before they sprout.
Fall pre-emergentThis season
Typically by Aug 15
Stops winter weeds (annual bluegrass, henbit, chickweed) before they sprout.
Skip it if you are overseeding this fall. Not in Charleston and Morgantown.
Right now · fall pre-emergent season
Treat broadleaf weeds now: Charleston and Morgantown. Winter weeds are up — spot-treat: Huntington
Soil is 54–58°F now. In fall, dandelions, clover and creeping Charlie pull sugars — and weed killer — down to their roots. Seeding this fall? Skip pre-emergent; it stops grass seed too.
Soil temperature by city
Soil 2 inches down, 5-day average: solid line = the last two weeks, dashed = the six-day forecast. Shaded = below 75°F, where winter weeds sprout — pre-emergent has to be down before the line gets there.
Huntington
Spot-treat56°F→ steady
Winter weeds are up. Spot-treat them on a mild day, or in early spring before they flower.
Winter weeds are up
Morgantown
Treat broadleaf58°F→ steady
Fall is the best time to treat dandelions and clover: they pull weed killer down to their roots.
Broadleaf window Sep 3 – Oct 30
West Virginia pre-emergent calendar
Spring pre-emergent stops crabgrass. The window runs from the typical day soil warms to 50°F to the day it holds 55°F, when crabgrass starts germinating (2016–2025). Fall pre-emergent stops winter weeds: have it down a week before soil usually cools to 75°F, when they start germinating.
| City | Spring pre-emergent (crabgrass) | Fall pre-emergent (winter weeds) |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | Mar 16 – Apr 11 | None (seeding season) · treat broadleaf Sep 12 – Oct 31 |
| Huntington | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Apply by Aug 15 |
| Morgantown | Mar 24 – Apr 13 | None (seeding season) · treat broadleaf Sep 3 – Oct 30 |
These are typical-year dates (the median of 2016–2025); any one year can run a couple of weeks earlier or later, which is what the live readings above are for. For your exact yard, check soil temperature by ZIP.
What people in West Virginia are identifying
We record the state each identification comes from. West Virginia's list appears here once it has at least 40 identifications spread over 7 or more days — so no single scan stands out. Until then, see the national list, or add yours:
Identify a weed from a photoWeeds to watch in West Virginia this fall
Questions about West Virginia
When should I apply crabgrass pre-emergent in West Virginia?
Put crabgrass pre-emergent down as soil warms to 50°F, before it holds 55°F and crabgrass starts germinating. In a typical year (2016–2025) that window is Mar 16 – Apr 11 in Charleston; Mar 16 – Mar 30 in Huntington; Mar 24 – Apr 13 in Morgantown.
When should I apply fall pre-emergent in West Virginia?
Winter weeds such as annual bluegrass, henbit and chickweed start germinating as soil cools to about 75°F in late summer and fall, and most come up once it is below 70°F. Have fall pre-emergent down before they start: typically by Aug 15 in Huntington. Skip it if you are overseeding this fall, because it stops grass seed too. In Charleston and Morgantown, cool summers mean cool-season lawns and fall seeding, so skip fall pre-emergent there and treat broadleaf weeds instead.
What is the soil temperature in West Virginia right now?
As of Nov 3, 1:18 AM CT: Charleston 54°F, Huntington 56°F, Morgantown 58°F (5-day average, about 2.4 inches down). Treat broadleaf weeds now: Charleston and Morgantown. Winter weeds are up — spot-treat: Huntington.
How the readings and dates are made, and their limits: Weed Watch method. Soil data: Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0); typical dates: NASA POWER.