Weekend Weather Wizard: Early Taste of Summer

Photo by Mary Heise.

I’d only been walking in the woods for a few minutes, when I noticed something was missing…my wife Mary. I glanced over my shoulder and felt slightly antsy, thinking that she had forgotten something in the car. “Release the hounds!” I thought, referring to our Brittany named Ruby who was in tow. However, knowing that a squirrel, bird, ant or pretty much any moving object would distract Ruby, I thought better of it.

To my surprise, Mary was kneeling next to a downed tree and as I got closer, I could see her bare hands enthusiastically burrowing into the rich, coffee ground-like soil. Her stylish manicure shoveled away the dirt, exposing pale roots and bulbs. She looked at me with a sly grin, and said, “These plants will either kill you or will be a delicious treat for cooking.” The thoughts raced through my mind: I’ve been good right? The lawn is mowed, the honey-do list completed. She shouldn’t possibly want to kill me, not today anyway. “Ramps, or lily of the valley,” she said, while the excavation continued. “Look at all the worms,” I said, easily distracted…just like Ruby. “Grab them; I can use them for fishing.” With a side eye glance and a “yuck,” I understood that the ramps were the real prize here.

No sooner had she pulled the ramps out of the ground, which I was pleased to learn can be differentiated from the deadly lily of the valley by the oniony, garlicky smell, when the popping sound began. We heard the tiny snaps on all of the crisp forest floor leaves. “Sounds like Pop Rocks,” Mary mentioned, referring to the candy that almost every child becomes familiar with at some point. Sleet hardly seemed possible, but there was no mistaking it, as it hopped among the leaves like excited fleas in an elaborate circus act.

Here’s what we can expect going into the weekend:

A high-pressure system slowly trickles into the Great Lakes region and beckons all to get outside for an early taste of summer. Sun will be plentiful and temperatures seasonable, with highs in the mid-60s and lows hovering in the high 40s on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So this weekend, face south, close your eyes, and smile as you are gently greeted by the warm southerly winds.

All weather predictions are based in science with information gathered from the National Weather Service, and are subject to change depending on the weather.

Growing up in Michigan, Ryan Heise began keeping a fishing journal detailing the weather conditions at and can still recall his hometown weatherman’s name. His fascination with weather has never wavered and began to heighten when planning surf trips while living in Florida. Now proud to call Door County home along with his wife Mary and dog Ruby, he has found a new fascination with the unique microclimate of Door County.