GRAND HAVEN, Mich. -- Meteorologists are describing Michigan's spring weather as a "wintry mix." Last night, we chased our cocktail of rain, snow, sleet and freezing rain with a rafter-blaster thunderstorm.
Our celestial bartender has been mixing up some serious hellbrew for Michigan locals this last week. Parts of central and southern Michigan have been under flood advisory. From Sunday, April 10, when temperatures hit 75 and 80 degrees, Michigan weather took a decided downward spiral. By Monday, the temperature had dropped 30 degrees.
From then, the barometer and thermometer have been in a continual struggle to see which can bounce the most. With ping ponging mercury comes erratic, sporadic cloud bursts. Michigan weather is so scatter-brained that it can't even decide what kind of precipitation to drop from said cloud bursts.
Within the space of one short week, we've had thunderstorms, lightening, torrential rain, sleet, ice and four inches of snow. Our migratory birds returned to chaos and confusion. After tweeting a few tentative notes, the robins retreated to their nests.
On Tuesday night, April 19, Michigan weather pulled her coup de grace. We got a concert and light show that Pink Floyd would envy. Putting my daughter to bed, I felt the thunder in the floor boards. Though I didn't venture outside in the melee, I'm pretty sure I heard hail rattling the roof tiles.
My husband was driving to work last night. He saw a tree split in two by lightening. He described the shower of sparks like fireworks fountain. All night long, lightening kept torching the sky, to a cacophony of thunder, car alarms and sirens.
Right now, WZZM's "weatherball" is flashing red. West Michiganders know what that means: "Weather Ball Red, foul weather ahead; colors blinking bright, rain or snow is sight."I see more t-storms predicted for Holy Saturday. T-storms are acceptable for spring. It's the white stuff that can pack its back and leave.
Hopefully, last night's storm blew all the snow out of the clouds. It's only 43 degrees right now, but we do have thin watery sunshine. It's not a heat wave, but it's warm enough that my sons are out working on their new boat. At least they were able to bail the snow out of the collapsed cover.
Miraculously, my jonquils survived the onslaught. I see that the boat cover has been upended and is covering them. I have just yelled to remove it post haste. Those poor little flowers have had enough drama in their young lives.
Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben is an avid weather watcher and storm chaser. Living on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, gives her plenty of opportunity to do both.
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