A difference between a recorded time stamp for a first set of memory cells comprised by an open translation unit (TU) of memory cells and a current time stamp for the open TU is determined, wherein the first set of memory cells comprises a most recently programmed set of memory cells. It is determined, based on a current temperature for the open TU and the difference between the recorded time stamp and the current time stamp, that a second set of memory cells comprised by the open TU is in a coarse programming state. A programming operation is performed on the second set of memory cells using a reduced programming state verify level and a reduced programming state gate step size associated with the second set of memory cells.