Despite recent storms, Cape rainfall total near normal

Recent gullywashers notwithstanding, Cape Girardeau's rainfall totals are just slightly above normal this month, a hydrologist said.

Mary Lamm, a hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., said Cape Girardeau received more than 3 inches of rain in a 24-hour period.

"I know that as of 7 o'clock this morning, the 24-hour rainfall was a little over three and a quarter inches," Lamm said Monday afternoon.

Other parts of Southeast Missouri saw heavier rain, with one spotter reporting 8 inches in New Madrid County, Mo., she said.

American Red Cross volunteers were in Lilbourn, Mo., Campbell, Mo., and Malden, Mo., to help victims of weekend flooding, the organization's Southeast Missouri chapter reported Monday.

A Red Cross shelter had opened at the New Madrid Community Center for victims evacuated from the Lilbourn area, a news release stated, and the chapter was monitoring the weather Monday in case additional flooding created new needs in the region.

A flash flood watch remained in effect until 7 p.m. Monday for much of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, including Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Perry, Scott and Stoddard counties in Missouri and Alexander and Union counties in Illinois.

Emergency managers in Bollinger and Stoddard counties reported water over roads Sunday night, and one person became trapped in a car on Route W just northwest of Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Meanwhile, in Cape Girardeau County, an emergency manager told the National Weather Service a storm had damaged trees and recreational vehicles and destroyed a nearby pole barn Sunday night in a small area about a mile north of the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

By Monday afternoon, the Missouri Department of Transportation's online traveler information map showed flood-related road closures remained in effect on Route K in Stoddard County, routes H and PP in Bollinger County and routes A and RA in Cape Girardeau County.

Lamm said while flooding was an issue for creeks and smaller rivers, the Mississippi and Ohio rivers remained well below flood stage.

At 7 a.m. Monday, the National Weather Service website reported the Mississippi was at 24.6 feet at Cape Girardeau -- an increase of 1.4 feet over the previous 24 hours, but still 7.4 feet below flood stage -- while the Ohio had reached 24.9 feet at Cairo, Ill., up eight-tenths of a foot but more than 15 feet below flood stage.

"I don't think we're going to get anywhere near flooding," Lamm said. " ... It would take a couple of these events to push it up and create minor to moderate flooding."

Despite the heavy rains over the weekend, Cape Girardeau's April rainfall total is only about a half-inch above normal, Lamm said.

Forecasters were looking at the possibility of more showers today, "but certainly not the heavy rainfall we got yesterday," she said.

"After that, we're looking at a fairly dry week," she said.

The National Weather Service was calling for regional highs in the 70s today, although Lamm said cloudy skies could suppress temperatures in some areas.

"Obviously, we've got some places with cloud cover and rainfall that aren't going to make it out of the 60s," she said.

Forecasters expect highs in the low 60s for the rest of the week, with temperatures warming to the mid- or upper 60s by the weekend, Lamm said.

epriddy@semissourian.com

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