Report posted at Mlive.com/ :
http://www.mlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2015/05/michigans_weather_this_week_fr.html#incart_river
it's a question of whether a large chunk of Lower Michigan will have just spotty frost or a killing freeze on Wed. May 20, 2015.
The Thumb may escape a hard frost due to the north wind Tuesday night. That wind flow could blow milder air off Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron into the Thumb. Also the Detroit area and south of Detroit could hold up just above widespread frost temperatures.
What could the cold damage?
Most warm loving vegetables and annual flowers will be damaged or killed if temperatures get down to 32 degrees, and if left unprotected.
Michigan's corn crop may be okay. The growing point of corn stays below the ground until corn is between six and 18 inches tall. So hopefully that growing point is still below the ground. The tops of the corn may be killed, but the corn should send up a new plant.
Soybeans are more sensitive to frost and some could be killed.
Michigan's fruit crop could have some damage, depending on the type of fruit. Some fruits can take a little more cold, like apples. If temperatures drop below freezing for a few hours, a percentage of fruit blossoms will be damaged and reduce fruit amounts.
So start covering any plant that needs it Tuesday night. To any fellow hobby fruit grower, we better set our alarm for 4 a.m. Wednesday morning. My four dwarf fruit trees are just loaded with blossoms. I don't want to lose any. So I'm getting up at 4 a.m. Wednesday and will start to spray my fruit trees with water. I may use a sprinkler, or I may go out every half hour and spray the trees again. We will only have to do that until about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.
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More information at Michigan Live! on Tuesday May 19, 2015:
In southern Lower Michigan there could be a four to five mile per hour wind at the coldest temperatures at sunrise. Even this light wind may help frost from settling onto plants.
But it is so close, protecting everything that needs cold protection is warranted.
Will this hurt Michigan's fruit crop?
Duke Elsner, small fruit educator - MSU Extension in northern Michigan, says it takes 28° and calm winds to produce damage to most fruit at the current growth stage. He feels there will be spotty significant damage if the forecast for 28 to 30 degree low temperatures is correct. The fruit crop as a whole may not have significant damage, but the less protected areas could have a lot of damage.
Duke's advice to the homeowner with a few fruit trees in southern Michigan is to let mother nature do her thing. Many trees need some thinning of fruit, and a light frost would do just that.
The cherries in the Traverse City area are more susceptible than apples. The cherries already have young fruitlets now, according to Elsner.
Is this the last frost?
In the southern two-thirds of Lower Michigan I would say this is the last frost. There could be a spotty light frost still in the U.P. or inland areas of far northern Lower Michigan.
So starting at sunrise Wednesday, I think you are safe to plant whatever you want.
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