See MichWine: It's Not Like 2003
When the Bay freezes, nearby land loses the open water's moderating influence on temperature. Nighttime temperatures can quickly plummet, killing buds for the upcoming growing season.
Craig Cunningham, owner of Cunningham Viticultural Service, told MichWine that vineyard samples from the "cold belt" west of Lake Leelanau showed "100% damage" to Chardonnay, Riesling and Merlot buds. Recording devices in the vineyard indicated temperatures tumbled to lows of -10 to -14 for three consecutive nights.
