We have 32.9° this morning with a nearly full moon in the west. Tomorrow morning will be our last chance to see the ‘super moon’ this year. It is also called the Flower Moon, Corn Planting Moon, Milk Moon, and the Vesak Festival Moon.
The Maine Farmer’s Almanac first published “Indian” names for the full Moons in the 1930s. According to this almanac, as the full Moon in May and the second full Moon of spring, the Algonquin tribes of what is now the northeastern United States called this the Flower Moon, for the flowers that are abundant this time of year.
The term “supermoon” was coined by the astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 and refers to either a new or full Moon that occurs within 90% of perigee, its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit. Under this definition, in a typical year there can be three or four full supermoons in a row and three or four new supermoons in a row. For 2020, the four full Moons from February through May meet this 90% threshold.
Weather History
May 3
1954: Snow falls on three straight days from the 3rd to the 5th across Lower Michigan. Record snowfall on this date includes the 1.3 inches at Grand Rapids.
1959: Muskegon sets a record high of 82 degrees during a string of five straight days over 80 degrees.
May 4
1928: A tornado destroyed several cottages along Bostwick Lake, about ten miles northeast of Grand Rapids.
May 5
1895: An early season heat wave peaks with record highs of 96 degrees at Grand Rapids and 92 at Lansing. The 96 degrees at Grand Rapids is a record for so early in the season.
May 6
1902: A tornado injures two people and destroys several barns east of Maple Rapids in Clinton County. Another tornado destroys several barns near Tekonsha in Calhoun County.
May 7
1947: Cold and snow prevail across Lower Michigan with lows in the upper 20s and highs only in the upper 30s to lower 40s.
1974: Temperatures tumble as cold high pressure builds into Lower Michigan. Record lows on this date include 22 degrees at Lansing, 25 at Grand Rapids and 27 at Muskegon.
May 8
1976: A freeze hits Lower Michigan with Grand Rapids and Muskegon setting record lows of 27 degrees.
1880: A tornado destroyed two homes and a barn two miles east of Kalamazoo. No one was injured.
May 9
1923: A very late season winter storm dropped up to a foot of snow across Lower Michigan. Records were set for May snowfall at many places including Lansing with 11.5 inches, Grand Rapids with 5.5 inches, and Detroit with 6 inches.
1927: About 40 farm buildings are damaged or destroyed as a tornado moved from near Loomis in Isabella County, across southeast Clare County and into Gladwin County. Another tornado destroyed two barns and damaged two homes three miles west of Walker.
A week of cooler temps and then here comes the warmth!
“If your looking for a warmer weather you will more than likely get your wish to come true later next week. As it turns out we have one of those extended East Asian Jet features crossing the Pacific. When it gets east of the International Date Line Wednesday, it will push the upper ridge over the western CONUS east and we will be back in near zonal flow.”
Funny that the NWS blatantly misused “your” instead of “you’re”
I’m ready just nothing hot please! My furnace needs a major break …INDY
Already 57 degrees at noon. Might exceed forecasts again today. Beautiful outside!
This could be a tough weekend for the area fruit farmers and for us the consumers later in the year. The NWS is still thinking that the lows could be in the low to mid 20’s this weekend and even some upper teens look to be in play. The critical temperatures are 28 and below for a lot damage and if it gets below 24 for several hours it could be nearly complete damage to most fruit for this year. It looks like to our north the colder April has held back the budding and thus there looks to be less chance of any major damage.
Slim
Another bright and perfect day! Heading out to to get some hiking in while disc golfing. This will make the 15th month in a row we’ve been able to get out disc golfing, going back to March of last year, thanks to our mild and snowless Winter.
A little on the cool side, but at least we’re getting sunshine. 🌞😎
60 degrees and sunny today! Enjoy!
Wintery weekend coming up keep the elders inside crazy how we are talking about a wintery weekend in early May ….. Terri Deboer wood TV 8 said below average temps through the 3rd week of May maybe the warm up I saw yesterday is getting pushed back …I will have to check the new data ..Have a super below average Wednesday …INDY
It might not be a good weekend for Apples and Cherries. The price of Apple and Cherry pie could go up this fall.
Slim
It is clear here, the current temperature is 34 but no frost at this time.
Slim
We have fallen to 30.2 degrees
It is now 34 here.
Slim