Icy April Blast: Snow And Freezing Temperatures Strike Southeast Michigan
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - April snow? Say it's not so.
Falling flurries and, in some areas, a straight up snow shower came as a shock to many across metro Detroit Wednesday morning.
Although CBS 62 Chief Meteorologist Jim Madaus commiserates with those displeased by the frosty precipitation, he was not at all surprised to see it.
"Actually we're lucky if it's just a few flurries," Madaus said. "The biggest snow fall in the history of Detroit fell in April ... over two feet of snow, back in the 1800s," — April 6, 1886, to be exact.
In one day metro Detroit picked up 24.5 inches.
Although snow this late in April is less common than snow earlier in the month, is not unheard of, Madaus said.
"Last weekend was kind of a tease," he said — referring to the 70 degrees and sunshine Southeast Michigan saw on Saturday. "But April is just that kind of month...One day it's 75 and the next it's 45." (The latter which happens to be Wednesday's high in Detroit).
Temperatures will stay below normal until around the middle of next week, Madaus said, as icy cold Canadian air hangs around over metro Detroit. He says this massive cold front stretches all the way from Pennsylvania down to Mississippi and into northern Texas — so Michiganders will not be the only ones feeling it.
A spot of good news, though, so don't despair: "Just remember, when the sun is out it always feels warmer than what it is, and we do have some sunshine in the forecast for Friday and part of the day Saturday and Sunday," Madaus said.
For those who might have a plant or two outside already, be warned that overnight lows are expected to fall to freezing in metro Detroit overnight Wednesday, and below freezing Thursday night.
At Greenhouse Gardens in St. Clair Shores, manager Jackie Stupanski they've had to protect their merchandise.
"Sometimes it looks like a fire drill around here," she told WWJ Newsradio 950's Mike Campbell. "As it starts to snow, you take the plants inside and give them a warm place to sleep for the night.
Stupanski said it's OK to leave pansies out, but if you put anything in the ground be ready to cover it with a bed sheet.
As always, Madaus said, the green thumb rule of thumb is to wait until Memorial Day weekend to do any flower planting — just to be safe.
As for the snow, is this finally the last of it for the season?
"I can't say a definite no...not making any promises," Madaus said.
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