Thank you for your question. Large Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) & Smooth Crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum) are summer annuals meaning they germinate in the spring/summer from seed dropped last fall that has gone through the cool/cold winter season and then thrives in hot, dry weather. Seeds lie dormant through the winter and begin to germinate in the spring when the soil temperature reaches 55°F at a depth of 1-2 inches for about a week, and continue germinating through the late summer.
Global Degree Day tracking (GDD) is helpful because it helps us determine the optimum window of time to apply a pre-emergent that prevents crabgrass germination in the spring as soil temperatures are warming.  
See the attached links on crabgrass:
https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/fact-sheets/pdf/biology_mgt_crabgrass.pdf
https://turf.purdue.edu/when-will-crabgrass-germinate/
Read the attached link on GDDs:
https://gddtracker.msu.edu/ - you can input your zip code to get accurate status. In 2026 on 14MR26 it is still early to apply a premergent. Bookmark the GDD Tracker link so you can easily return to it to follow the progress to the optimum time for pre-emergent application.  When the optimum window is ready it's up to you to apply a pre-emergent (usually in granular form) and water it in for best effectiveness. More info in the attached links:
GDD Tracking-Spring Crabgrass Prevention-MSU
Timing Crabgrass Pre-emergence Applic-MSU - note the paragraph on having a dense turf to prevent crabgrass...
Crabgrass Control-UMn
Common Questions-Crabgrass & Pre-Emergent-Purdue - names several pre-emergents
Here is a link to an article on post-emergent crabgrass control: Post-emergence crabgrass control-MSU