FREEZE UP: Cool pattern continues for next 10 days. Get Bill Steffen's weekend forecast

We’ll be under a freeze warning late Friday night into early Saturday morning. A good portion of West Michigan will dip below the freezing mark.

Here’s the forecasted low temperatures for early Saturday morning. Most of West Michigan will dip into the upper 20s and low 30s. The coldest spots, mainly north of Grand Rapids, will reach the mid-20s.

The latest 8- to 14-day temperature forecast for May 8-14 keeps the Great Lakes in the below-average category. By the end of this period, warmer air is moving east into the Plains states. So, my educated guess is that we will be able to plant more frost-sensitive flowers and vegetables in the middle of the month.

Rainfall is expected to be a touch below average in West Michigan. Above-average rainfall is forecast across the southern U.S., where we have had drought conditions.

Here’s the combined rainfall over the next three days. A significant band of heavy rainfall is likely from New Mexico east to the Carolinas.

5-day forecast

• Friday: Variable clouds with a shower or two; chilly, with a high of 46 degrees. Tonight, partly cloudy and chilly; freezing temperatures are possible with a low of 33 degrees.
• Saturday: Partly sunny and chilly, with a high of 48 degrees. In the evening, expect mostly clear skies, with a low of 42 degrees.
• Sunday: Breezy with intervals of clouds and sunshine; a brief afternoon shower or two. Sunday night, expect overcast skies and breezy conditions, with a couple of showers. High: 54 degrees. Low: 46 degrees.
• Monday: Turning cloudy and windy; a shower and thunderstorm in the afternoon. High: 64 degrees. In the evening, breezy in the evening with a couple of showers; otherwise, rather cloudy. Low: 45 degrees.
• Tuesday: Cool with times of clouds and sun. High: 54 degrees. In the evening, expect partly cloudy skies with a low of 39 degrees.

— Check out Bill Steffen's Substack channel.