Like many gardeners, I’m a weather geek, and I can’t remember a spring quite like this since I started gardening in 1991. It’s been summer-like for most of April. But tonight there are wet flurries in the forecast. Yuck!
Although I live in southern Ontario, I find the weather news from Michigan State University very helpful. This week’s report tells us that it’s going to get colder this weekend, and reminds us that frost danger is ever present. Because we have had such warm temperatures so early, and so many plants are ahead of where they would normally be, the risk is high that heavy killing frost could do more damage than usual.
The 14-day forecast from the Weather Network, showing a big temperature dip this weekend. White line shows normal average temps
This is a concern with flowering trees and shrubs that are leafing out earlier than normal. We had frost damage last year when a -5 degree C frost killed off our crab apple blossoms in the height of their glory. I hope it doesn’t happen again this season, but unfortunately the chances are high that it might.
Temperature and rainfall predictions through June:
From MSU’s Jeff Andresen:
For the remainder of the spring season, the Climate Prediction Center outlook calls for the current El Nino event to dissipate, with neutral conditions expected in the equatorial Pacific region by early summer. The outlook for the April through June period calls for warmer than normal temperatures across Michigan and the Great Lakes region, with the climatology scenario of near equal odds of below, near, and above normal for precipitation totals. Regardless, with our very early start of the growing season this year and a climatological risk of frost and freezing temperatures through at least early May, there will continue to be an elevated risk of cold damage or injury for the next few weeks.
You can read the full report at the Michigan State University landscape news site.
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I hope you’re spared Yvonne. Spring is a tricky beast!
Hi Yvonne
Looks like the Michigan State University Landscape News site is very interesting and a place to revisit. We usually check the Buffalo weather station as that often predicts out situation better than the Canadian sources.
Lene