While small areas of Michigan have had ample rain in the past two months, most of our state has been very dry.
Here’s the total rainfall in the past 60 days, back to July 11.
Notice the light green shaded areas covering a lot of the southern two-thirds of Lower Michigan. The light green indicates only two to four inches of total rain in the past two months. Most of Lower Michigan typically receives a little over six inches of rain in this past two-month period. Far northern Lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula actually had more rain than the long-term average.
Total rainfall since July 11, 2025NOAA
The map below tells the easy story of where we have been drier than normal in the past 60 days. The yellow and tan areas were drier than normal.
Departure from normal rainfall since July 11, 2025NOAA
An area between Grand Rapids and Cadillac is four inches short of rain since July 11. In the heat of summer, four inches is a very big deal and very dry. Notice just about all of the southern two-thirds of Lower Michigan has been at least two inches drier than normal to four inches drier than normal.
How should you act on this info? Water your expensive landscape plants that haven’t put out extensive roots yet. If you planted a tree or shrub in the past year, you probably should be watering it now deeply with a slow trickling water flow at the base of the tree or shrub.
The reason for proactive watering right now is twofold. It’s been dry this summer, and we have hot, dry weather on tap this coming week.
We want to get some moisture in the ground around our plants before it’s a losing battle in the hot, dry week ahead.
So you know what to do now. Drag the hose out to your freshly planted babies and start watering slowly. Once you get a good amount of moisture in the surrounding soil, apply a layer of mulch to keep the moisture.
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