Dangerous cold returns across Michigan tonight
A Freeze Warning is in effect tonight for most of Lower Michigan, with only Wayne and Monroe Counties spared from cold weather alerts. Temperatures are expected to plummet, posing a serious risk to sensitive plants and freshly planted crops.
Freeze Warning in northern Lower Michigan
From Bay City through Midland, Mt. Pleasant, and all areas northward, residents are under a Freeze Warning as temperatures are forecast to dip to 32°F (0°C) or slightly colder. Gardeners and farmers in these regions should brace for conditions capable of causing significant damage to unprotected plants.
Frost Advisory for most southern counties
The southern half of Lower Michigan is under a Frost Advisory, excluding Wayne and Monroe Counties. Sunrise temperatures on Friday, May 9, are expected to hover between 32°F and 35°F (0°C to 1.7°C). Despite the advisory level, some models suggest that parts of south-central Lower Michigan, including Flint, Lansing, Jackson, and Kalamazoo, may fall to around 30°F (-1.1°C)—which would normally warrant a Freeze Warning instead of a Frost Advisory.
Cold air holds through early morning
In areas from central to south-central Lower Michigan, temperatures may fall below freezing around 1 a.m. and stay below freezing until 8 a.m. That’s seven hours of freezing air—long enough to cause a hard freeze, which will destroy newly planted annuals and damage all but the most cold-hardy vegetables.
Tomatoes, peppers, and vining vegetables are especially vulnerable. The recommendation is to cover them completely with items like 5-gallon buckets, garbage cans, or any solid container to preserve warmth overnight.
Exceptions near the lakes and in Southeast Michigan
While Detroit, Monroe, and areas right along Great Lakes shorelines may escape the freeze due to water temperatures now in the upper 30s°F (about 3°C), these regions are the only ones not at risk of frost or freeze damage tonight.
Upper Peninsula: Cold but not yet in growing season
Although the Upper Peninsula will also drop below freezing, its growing season has not yet begun, so no frost or freeze alerts have been issued there.
