Al Roker of 'Today' show to broadcast Tuesday from Cape Girardeau

Locals watching the Tuesday morning weather report from the "Today" show may notice a familiar scene behind forecaster Al Roker.

Roker will broadcast the weather live from Cape Girardeau's Riverfront Park from 6 to 6:10 a.m. Tuesday.

The NBC morning show is bringing back "Rokerthon" from last year, in which Roker broadcast a record-breaking 34 straight hours of weather coverage.

This go-round, he's going for The Guinness Book of World Records title for the fastest time to report a weather forecast from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Cape Girardeau will serve as Missouri's broadcast location.

Stacy Dohogne Lane, public relations director for the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, said they received the news about two weeks ago. Organizing the event required "a lot of logistics to get in place," she said, but the show's producers in New York have been good partners in the effort.

The crew will visit several communities Tuesday, but the Cape Girardeau stop will receive a few more minutes of airtime than others. Lane said there were several factors that contributed to the selection of Cape Girardeau, but it largely came down to the Mississippi River.

"They actually stumbled across our website, and our pictures of Cape really drew them in," she said.

The proximity to neighboring states such as Illinois and Kentucky also was helpful, especially with Roker's mission to visit each of them.

Lane said the river continues to be a unique selling point that brings people from around the world to Cape Girardeau. It enchants visitors who come via car or boat and has played a role in bringing the city to the big and small screens.

"'Gone Girl' wouldn't have been here if not for the river. Same with the 'Today' show," she said. "I think sometimes it's easy to overlook, and living here, it's easy to forget it's there."

Those who want to see Roker in action for themselves are asked to gather at Riverfront Park no later than 5:30 a.m. Tuesday and should enter through the Themis Street flood gate. Lane said those in attendance will have an opportunity to watch and possibly be on camera, because the broadcast will include a few shots of the crowd.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau encourages members of the crowd to come showing off their hometown spirit with signs or apparel, and they should tag social-media posts with #Rokerthon.

Rokerthon 2 kicks off in Hawaii on Friday and wraps up at Rockefeller Plaza in New York on Nov. 13.

After his visit to Cape Girardeau, Roker will visit Fort Defiance, Illinois; Wickliffe, Kentucky; Blytheville, Arkansas; and three other towns Tuesday.

srinehart@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641

Pertinent address:

Water Street and Themis Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.