Did You See the ‘Blizzard’ that Hit East Grand Rapids This Week?

Yes it's the end of may, and generally we're free of any snow or bad weather this late into the spring here in West Michigan.

But a lot of 'White Stuff' came falling from the sky yesterday (Tuesday, May 30th) that left residents of East GR wondering if it was actually 80 degrees outside.

In a video posted to social media by WOOD8 meteorologist Ellen Bacca shows a ton of white fluffy stuff falling from the sky at an alarming rate, sending most of us in to a winter PTSD spiral

What is Cottonwood Fluff?

The white fuzzy stuff coming down by the handful in the video is actually Cottonwood Fluff, which is a product of Cottonwood trees.

Much like the yellow dusty pollen you see coating your car in other areas of West Michigan, the cottonwood fluff is a way that the tree spreads its seeds. Unlike regular pollen that is waiting to make it's way to a flower, Cottonwood fluff has actually already been fertilized and is ready to try to find a place to plant itself.

If you find your yard full of this fluffy white stuff, don't panic- it only lasts about two weeks, and if you don't have a cottonwood tree, it could have come from anywhere up to 5 miles away. That's a long way for some fluffy stuff to travel!

So if you see it, it's just a tree trying to spread it's legacy, and thankfully not the fifth coming of winter.