Cape Girardeau yet to break 90-degree mark for August

It's not exactly an upper Alaskan igloo, but Swampeast Missouri hasn't lived up to its moniker this year.

For the first time in at least 30 years, Cape Girardeau residents have not seen a high temperature reach 90 degrees over the first 12 days of August.

On Tuesday, the mercury hit a high of 84 and a low of 62.

The average high temperature in the first 12 days of August this year is 85.25 degrees, the second-coolest in the last 10 years. The average low for the first 12 days of August this year is 65, the third-lowest in the last 10 years.

With the exception of a few short heat waves, the mild summer of 2003 has made it more enjoyable for the children at Just Kids day care, workers there say.

"It just got cold," said Alisha Strop, one of three supervisors watching over several children at Capaha Park Tuesday afternoon. "We've got kids already wearing jackets in the mornings."

Added Martha Denson, "The kids didn't even want to go swimming because they were cold."

Michael York, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., said the dew points have been low this year. In the summer, a lower dew-point temperature generally translates into lower air temperatures, he said. Air temperature cannot go lower than the dew point in the summer.

"It has been less humid, and our low temperatures have been in the mid-60s, which is quite a few degrees below normal," York said.

York said the region is due for a warm-up in the short term, but nothing out of the ordinary for August. He said highs in the next few days will reach the 90s and the humidity will rise as well.

"It won't be uncommon, but it will feel hot compared to what we've been having," he said.

York said the summer has not been a typical one across the globe with heat waves in Europe, cool and wet conditions in the eastern United States and hot and dry conditions in the west.

He said the jet stream has been consistent, going up into Canada and diving into the southern Appalachians.

Rain near average

While the temperatures have been cooler, precipitation is near average.

Cape Girardeau had 5.22 inches of rain in June and 3.48 inches in July, which is about 0.13 inches above normal. So far in August, Cape Girardeau has received 0.55 inches, a hair below average.

Jennifer Darnell was watching her three children, a niece and a nephew play in the park Tuesday. She was sweating in the sun, but it was bearable.

"It was a lot better than last summer," she said.

The average temperature for the first 12 days of summer last year was 91.92 degrees with an average low of 69.

So far this August, the highest temperature has been 88 degrees, which was reached five times.

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635

HIGHS AND LOWS

Average high and low temperatures for Aug. 1 through 12: High Low

1994 87.42 64.50*

1995 92.25 74.58

1996 87.92 68.08

1997 85.42 60.42

1998 82.42 69.17

1999 90.00 65.75

2000 89.42 68.50

2001 89.67 69.58

2002 91.92 69.00

2003 85.25 65.00

* A record low of 53 degrees was recorded on Aug. 6

SOURCE: Southeast Missourian archives