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Climatologist: subzero temperatures to stall spring thaw, coldest in 30 years

A state climatologist says Winter Storm Fern’s negative temperatures will be the coldest in more than 30 years for many areas and prolong a spring thaw.

Michigan’s Jeff Andresen says ice coverage on the Great Lakes is about average, providing nearby regions with a buffer.

“The lakes are still moderating, even though, along with that comes of course, clouds and recently a lot of lake effect snowfall across the state, and we’re going to see that pattern continue on into the next week or so,” he shares.

He says recent snow and cloud cover help to prevent crop damage, which is especially important with lake ice expected to double in the coming weeks.

“Some of our more sensitive crops begin to have some issues or sensitivity once we do get to about 0 Fahrenheit and start to go below that,” he says. “There could be some issues here, we may lose some.”

Andresen says the outlook over the next several weeks for the region remains colder and snowier than normal, likely leading into a cool, wet spring.