Flood warning issued for Tuesday night

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for late Tuesday for Cape Girardeau and the surrounding area near the Mississippi River.

A bulletin from the service says Mississippi River levels at Cape Girardeau could reach flood stage by early Wednesday morning and hit 34 feet by Saturday morning. Flood stage is 32 feet.

The flood gate at Themis Street in Cape Girardeau closes at 36 feet, although it's not known whether the river will rise that high.

The flood warning also covers nearby counties in Illinois.

Brittany Peterson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the warning isn't a product of excess rainfall around the Cape Girardeau region.

"It's due to excess water in the Missouri River upstream that's coming down into the Mississippi," she said.

Although there is no set forecast yet about potential flooding, Peterson said the flood warning could remain in effect for several days.

"I would expect [the warning] to go through at least the end of next weekend," she said Sunday.

The National Weather Service reminds residents never to drive cars, trucks or sport utility vehicles through flooded areas, as water may be too deep to allow safe passage.

Similarly, children should not be allowed to play in or near flood waters.

tgraef@semissourian.com

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