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Cold damage expected to be limited in Michigan’s fruit

An ag meteorologist says average temperatures during March running above normal have led to a rapid accumulation of growing degree days for the month.

State climatologist for Michigan Jeff Andresen says some parts of Michigan are three to four weeks ahead of normal and at the same time, precipitation totals are behind.

“The worst dryness in the state is in the far eastern sections of Lower Michigan, but virtually all of the lower peninsula is drier than normal and also portions of the U.P. and that has led the U.S. Drought Monitor to expand rapidly across the Great Lakes Region.”

He says the return of winterlike conditions over the course of this week could raise some concern for fruit damage, but fruit extension educator Mark Longstroth says most fruit crops should handle it.

“We’re far enough along that we could see some damage in the really far advanced crops if it gets down below 20 degrees, but most of them can take 22 degrees right now, probably.”

After this week, Andresen is calling for April to continue the warmer than normal trend.

Both made their comments during this week’s MSU Extension fruit team webinar.