Rick Shields Ag Weather 4-20-10

Elevation helped some and hurt some during the latest cold snap.  A check of low temperatures around Michigan State’s weather monitoring network in Southwest Michigan shows readings as low as 25-degrees near Lawrence while not that far away it bottomed out seven degrees warmer in Fennville at the Trevor Nichols Research Center. Low temperatures were concentrated in the 31 to 29-degree range Monday morning.

Some patchy frost may have developed today around dawn but as a rule readings were seven to ten degrees warmer than the past two mornings.  That trend should continue for the rest of this week with no major push of cold air from the northwest expected all the way through the coming weekend.

With all the worry understandably focused on the freeze there’s been very little mention of moisture in recent days.  Wednesday that changes a bit with the passage of a frontal system which could produce light showers.  A better chance for rain comes at the end of the week.  The outlook contains a chance of showers and perhaps even a rumble of thunder.