Heat doesn't keep residents indoors

Scorching summer sun couldn't keep people indoors Sunday as they headed out for a swim, a jog or to mow the lawn.

Even though it felt like 102 degrees at 1 p.m. with the humidity, plenty of people in Cape Girardeau and the surrounding area beat the heat with a dip in the water. By 3:30 p.m., the air temperature was 93 but relative humidity made it feel like 104 degrees.

The high Sunday in Cape Girardeau was 93, and it is expected to reach 95 today.

But there might be relief in sight from the hot, humid conditions.

Dan Spaeth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., said the region has a better chance for getting some widespread showers this week.

Rain could move into the area late tonight or early Tuesday. "And that should start to bring in cooler air," he said.

But temperatures have been fairly consistent with those from last summer. The averages have been around 89 degrees. "There weren't the real extremes that we had last summer," Spaeth said.

The Weather Service came close to issuing a heat advisory warning Sunday afternoon as the mercury rose, but with rain expected it wasn't needed yet, he said.

Warm weather means plenty of business at Capaha Pool. People usually wait in line for the staff to open on weekend afternoons and there was a steady flow of customers Sunday afternoon, pool staff said.

From the pool entrance, you could hear the sound of splashing water and children laughing as they headed down the slide or jumped from the diving boards.

Because Central Pool had closed for a swim meet Saturday, the Capaha staff expected their weekend numbers to double. But it was fairly typical for a hot, summer weekend, said Allen Amschler, a senior lifeguard.

Lora Cooper brought her children, ages 13 and 11, to the pool for a swim so they could meet with friends. She relaxed on a park bench under a shade tree.

"I was very happy to see the tree because I didn't know what I was going to do without the shade," she said. But a light breeze kept her cool. "With the breeze it's nice, but I like autumn better."

The hot, sticky weather is just typical of Southeast Missouri, said the Cape Girardeau resident.

But it's not enough to prevent Darryl Reddin from working or playing outdoors. He and his wife, Angela, brought their two children to the park for an afternoon of fun.

While Reddin jumped rope, his son, Jordan, 8, shot some hoops on the basketball court at Capaha Park. Angela Reddin and her daughter, Jada, 5, played on the swings under some shade trees before joining them.

"I'm just active so I'd rather be out," Reddin said. "I think it's cooled off."

Need rain for gardens

Rain and storms that moved through the region Saturday afternoon did provide some relief but not enough for Jim Payne. He needs more rain for his garden.

Payne plants tomatoes, corn, zucchini, yellow squash, okra, beans and turnips in a field next to his home off Brucher and Bertling streets.

He got a late start planting this year because of rains in late May and early June. The field where he plants tends to retain moisture, which is an advantage during dry spells in late summer, but hampered his tilling efforts early on, Payne said.

"The rain we got helped," he said. "But we could use a little bit more again."

Vegetable and flower gardeners alike have been lamenting the lack of rain in Southeast Missouri in the past week. Forecasts for scattered showers and isolated storms meant that only some areas received the rain.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126