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Frost and freeze potential increase this week

Hold Off on Planting the Garden
Posted at 5:03 PM, May 04, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-04 22:02:55-04

WEST MICHIGAN — We've been stating for the last several days that sharply colder temperatures will be upon this week. Normal highs have us in the middle 60s, and we'll be running about 10 to 15 degrees below that. By Friday and Saturday, it may be more on the order of 15 to 20 degrees below average. While this may be a mainly dry week, it also means cold morning low temperatures too. In fact, there are some mornings where frost and freezing temperatures may become an issue for fruit growers and those that have planted gardens.

We always suggest every year to wait until AFTER Mother's Day weekend to plant the garden. On average, our frost and freeze occur up to that date. This year, that may certainly hold true. Wednesday morning we are forecasting low temperatures in the middle 30s, with outlying locations even colder. Thursday morning with clearing skies, we're expecting low/mid 30s. That would produce at the least the chance of frost one or both of those days. We may see a FROST ADVISORY issued. Take a look below at the earliest and latest freeze dates for Grand Rapids.

By Friday and Saturday morning when the core of the coldest air arrives in Michigan, high temperatures will only reach the mid/upper 40s. Morning lows both says will likely be in the upper 20s to low 30s. That would translate to freezing temperatures and perhaps a FREEZE WARNING being issued. The only area that may escape the cold could be the immediate lakeshore. Temperatures this cold can damage our fruit buds, not to mention kill or damage anything we may have already plated that is coming through the surface soil.

Make sure to stay up on later forecasts. Get our 7-Day forecast, temperatures, satellite, radar, and forecast discussion at www.fox17online.com/weather.