The cause of seed dormancy relief may be various external factors, however the most data suggest particular role of temperature, especially it is seasonally changing environmental cue. The impact of temperature on hydrotime model parameters of red clover seeds has not been studied up to date. The aim of the study was to determine the water relations of red clover seeds during germination after different constant or fluctuating temperature pretreatment in a dry and moist seedbed, on the basis of the hydrotime model. The highest germination was obtained as a result of temperatures in a moist seedbed thanks to a shift of the mean base water potential towards negative values. Alternating positive temperatures broke the dormancy of red clover seeds to the greatest extent. The use of the hydrotime model to characterise and predict relief of combinational dormancy may be a very effective approach, especially for cultivars, which contains a small percentage of hard seeds. Red clover seeds do not need extreme temperatures or large amplitudes of temperatures alternation to break dormancy in temperate climates. Our results acknowledged the advisability of sowing red clover in autumn because exposition to winter and early spring conditions allow seeds to reach a high vigour and successfully emerge in spring.