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Michigan to Reach 85 Degrees Next Week – Here’s When and Where

It’s been a chilly start to May, which isn’t good news if you’re planting. I wanted to start planting some flowers and ornamental grasses this week, but due to the…

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(Photo by Graeme Robertson/Getty Images)

It's been a chilly start to May, which isn't good news if you're planting. I wanted to start planting some flowers and ornamental grasses this week, but due to the cold temperatures at night, I'm pushing those planting plans into late May or even June. That said, Michigan is about to get hit with a major warmup.

If you're impatient about getting some summer-like weather, then next week is for you. Many parts of Michigan will actually hit 80 degrees, which is certainly above normal, but not quite as high as some mid-May records, which have made it into the 90s. It seems like 90 degree weather in May just shouldn't be possible.

If you look at the above graphic, you'll see that all of Michigan is expected to have above normal temperatures next week. We're lucky when it comes to the warm weather, as the West Coast will be dealing with below normal temperatures, and elsewhere in the country, it will be just average temperatures.

According to Weather.com, high temperatures for Tuesday through Friday of next week should easily get into the mid-70s for most of lower Michigan - even upper Michigan - and then into the mid-80s for certain areas. That means temperatures will be a plentiful 10 to 15 degrees warmed than normal. The areas most likely to hit the mid-80s by next Friday are cities in mid-to-lower Michigan, including Lansing and Grand Rapids (both 85 on Friday) and Flint (86 on Friday). Meanwhile, Detroit is slated to be slightly cooler than some other major cities in the state, hitting 82 on Friday. So far, extended weather projections have Michigan back to normal temperatures for much of the rest of May. There's still a chance of frost through the end of the month, so if you want to be extra safe with your garden, plan to plant the first of June.

Read on for a list of 40 Michigan small towns for a great weekend getaway!

Summer is on the way, and that means it's about to be road trip season. I always enjoy driving around during the spring and summer months, discovering new towns around Michigan. Fall is a great time to road trip, too, because of the gorgeous colors. This state has so many beautiful small towns, which make for perfect stops during a long road trip.

So, how small are Michigan's tiniest dwellings? I actually looked up some data from the state of Michigan and discovered that many towns in Michigan have just a few hundred people. That's almost hard to imagine. Some examples are Addison at 597, Akron at 394 and Alba at 295. Now, that's really, really small.

When it comes to Michigan's quaint cities, I always enjoy South Haven. My uncle lives around that area, and I used to go there at lot as a kid. The beach town is right on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan, in the southwest part of the state. Its population is just over 4,000 residents, but it seems way bigger during the summer months, as it's a very popular tourist destination. Just thinking about South Haven's warm, sandy beaches is making me smile. If you head there, don't forget to check out South Haven's trademark red lighthouse.

Of course, South Haven is just the beginning when it comes to great places to visit. Read on for 40 small towns in Michigan that you need to visit this summer for a weekend getaway. You'll also find information on each town below with a link to that town's official website, so you can find more details about the best time to visit and how to get there.

Munising

Marquette

Traverse City - Not super small, but a great spot to visit!

Holland

Sault Ste. Marie

Alpena

Tawas City

St. Joseph

Harbor Springs

Escanaba

Frankenmuth

Mackinac Island

Northville

Ontonagon

Charlevoix

Paradise

Copper Harbor

Saugatuck

Petoskey

South Haven

Ludington

Pentwater

http://www.pentwater.org/

Techumseh

Colon

http://www.colonmichigan.org/

Boyne City

http://www.cityofboynecity.com/

Caseville

Port Austin

East Tawas

St. Ignace

Suttons Bay

Newberry

Marshall

http://www.cityofmarshall.com/

Harrisville

Frankfort

Elberta

Elk Rapids

Au Gres

Rose City

Gaylord

Menominee

Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.