Cape weather to stay cooler than normal

Unseasonably cool weather has settled over Cape Girardeau, with a record low set on Saturday of 40 degrees and another matched on Sunday of 41 degrees.

Cape Girardeau once again failed to reach its average high on Monday, topping out at 66 degrees, 14 degrees below the average high. The overnight low approached the record low of 45 degrees set in 1968.

Nicole Williams, 19, of Cape Girardeau took advantage of the cool weather by doing some fishing at Capaha Park.

"I really hate hot weather," Williams said. "This is just perfect. You can just open your window and sit in bed. It's great for fishing too; you can sit out in the sun and not get all burnt up."

Over the past 10 years Cape Girardeau has seen highs in the 60s for May 20 only two previous times. The flood year of 1993 was one of those years.

Active systems

"When you get into late May most significant weather systems have moved north," said Kevin Smith, National Weather Service meteorologist of Paducah, Ky. "This year they have been more active in this area. Because of that you get a lot more cool air from the north and warm air from the south. In this case, the cooler air has won out."

The National Weather Service reports that cooler weather will stick around in Cape Girardeau today as well, with the high in the upper 60s.

Warmer weather will start to make its way to Cape Girardeau on Wednesday, though, as the highs begin to approach 80 for the Memorial Day weekend.

"I like the cool weather," said Michael Robertson of Memphis, Mo. "I'd rather have this weather than the scalding hot weather we usually have in the summer. I hate it when you step outside and you start sweating like crazy."