The daily response of soil respiration to changes of spring weather under two subtropical urban lawns (Cynodon dactylon (Linn.) Pers. and Zoysia tenuifolia Willd. ex Trin.) were investigated through 28 days in situ measurements using static chamber with alkali absorption technology. Results showed that the soil respiration fluctuated greatly and primarily consisted with the fluctuation of soil temperature during the period of continuous rain, the period of rapid warming and the period of cold-air outbreak. The apparent Q10 value of soil respiration across the study period was 2.52, but it decreased to 1.96 and 1.70 during the period of rapid warming and the period of cold-air outbreak, respectively. It seemed that the microbial respiration and root activity were relatively insensitive to rapid daily changes of temperature in early spring. Owing to the abundant spring rainfall, the soil respiration of lawns was decreased with the rising of soil gravimetric water content and was inhibited by the saturation of soil water. No difference of soil respiration rate was found between the two types of lawns. This study suggested that the spring daily soil respiration of urban lawns varied greatly and it should incorporate changes of soil respiration at weather scales into the annual model of soil respiration.