Forecast getting worse

The computer models are continuing to forecast a wet weekend with three rounds of rain possible from Saturday night into Tuesday.

Round 1 is the heaviest and most likely, potentially delivering 1-2 inches Saturday night and Sunday morning. The second round Sunday night could drop another inch, while a third round Monday and Tuesday will probably bring only light showers to Southeast Missouri, but could bring heavy rain to Kentucky and Tennessee.

The Hydrologic Outlook from the National Weather Service states:

FORECAST CONFIDENCE IN A HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING CONTINUES TO GROW.

A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE EAST SOUTHEAST ACROSS OUR REGION ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY MORNING. HEAVY RAINFALL FROM ONE TO TWO INCHES APPEARS QUITE POSSIBLE BY SUNDAY EVENING.

THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF A SECOND ROUND OF HEAVY RAIN ON SUNDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER INCH OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE AT THAT TIME...BUT FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS NOT AS HIGH THAT THIS EVENT WILL OCCUR.

DUE TO THE ONGOING FLOODING PROBLEMS ACROSS OUR REGION...ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL WOULD BE A MAJOR CONCERN. FLOOD OR FLASH FLOOD WATCHES MAY BE ISSUED AS APPROPRIATE.

The current rainfall forecast for the next 5 days puts Cape Girardeau in the purple region for at least 1.5 inches, with a massive area of 3+ inch totals possible to our south. The heavy rain over Kentucky and Tennessee, in particular, will put even more pressure on the Ohio River.

One piece of good news: Lake Wappapello has apparently already crested, reaching a level of 396.71 ft. around 8:30 AM this morning and now dropping to 396.67 ft.