Cape Girardeau, other regional cities break weather records for high temp prevalence

Cape Girardeau and several other locations in the greater tri-state region have set records in recent days with high temperatures.

The National Weather Service office in Paducah, Kentucky, said Cape Girardeau has observed three days with high temperatures of 75 degrees through March 5, a record number of such days. The previous record of two days was set in 1976.

The NWS said Paducah has seen five days of reaching highs of at least 75 degrees, breaking records set in 1992 and 1938.

Carbondale, Illinois, also broke a record established in 1911 with four days of temperatures above 75.

Cape Girardeau has seen high temperatures above 70 in six days since Feb. 21. During that same time period, the high temperature has been at least 60 on 11 of 14 days.

A slightly cooler pattern, along with rain, appears to be headed for the Cape Girardeau area, with highs in the 60s through Friday, followed by a high in the lower 50s on Saturday and mid-50s on Sunday.

The high temperatures have also ushered in high tree pollen and mold counts for the area, according to AccuWeather.

Pollen levels have reached high levels six days since Feb. 26, according to www.pollen.com. Since Feb. 23, the allergy index level in Cape Girardeau has reached medium-high to high levels on 11 occasions.