Record Heat for Most of NC = Ugly Creeping Bentgrass and Tall Fescue

— Written by Jim Kerns — Contributors: Lee Butler | July 30, 2025 (Updated: July 30, 2025, 8:37 a.m.)

This summer has been extremely tough, to say the least. Raleigh, New Bern, and Wilmington are on pace for the hottest summer ever recorded, while Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, and Boone are heading for the second hottest summer.

More importantly, the nighttime lows in Raleigh this summer have been 6°F above the long-term average for the season! Average nighttime temperatures have been 72.9^°F, which hinders cool-season recovery. An article from WRAL covers this challenging summer in more detail, but basically, a strong Bermuda high has kept our dew points high. This is evident with peak heat index temperatures in many NC urban areas ranging from 105 to 117^°F! We have experienced more than 24 days with temperatures above 100°F in the Triangle and Sandhills this summer. The article above shows that our summer is comparable to that of San Antonio, Texas! This article also highlights an interesting point about how hotter air can hold more water vapor. Therefore, when a front moves in, an increase in slow-moving thunderstorms can develop; this is not a good combination for cool-season grasses.

Dirt walking path beside a mowed field with a white fence running right to the horizon — Some of the tall fescue plot borders at the Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Field Lab in Raleigh, NC, have almost entirely died out due to prolonged extreme heat, excess moisture, and heavy traffic. While there is some gray leaf spot in the remaining plants, GLS did not cause the majority of this damage.

When cool-season grasses undergo prolonged heat stress, they experience lower relative water content in their leaves, reduced chlorophyll levels, and decreased photochemical efficiency. This results in severe damage to their cells. Additionally, when heat stress is combined with saturated soil conditions and/or traffic, it can lead to complete failure of cool-season turfgrass. Despite excellent agronomic programs, cool-season turfgrasses will likely suffer after a summer like this and may require closures or other drastic measures to prevent significant turf damage.

Grass field with large irregular brown and bare patches across the turf — A creeping bentgrass putting green at the Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Field Lab in Raleigh, NC, that is suffering from prolonged heat and humidity in our region this summer.

That's why many golf courses with creeping bentgrass putting greens have chosen to shut down during these high temperatures. If you manage cool-season turfgrasses, please remain patient during this summer. I also hope for a weather break soon.

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