JULY FORECAST CALLS FOR HOTTER AND WETTER WEATHER

The National Weather Service says July could be much warmer and a little wetter than normal in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

The 30-day outlook calls for temperatures in the region to average much above normal and precipitation above normal.

The 90-day outlook through September indicates temperatures will average near to slightly above normal with near to slightly below normal precipitation.

Dr. Al Robertson, climatologist and professor of geo-sciences at Southeast Missouri State University, said the outlook could increase the chances of 100-degree-plus temperatures this month.

It has been three years since temperatures have been that hot. In July 1990, it reached or surpassed 100 degrees four times, including record highs of 102 on July 9, and 101 on July 10.

"Mid-July is traditionally the hottest time of the year, as far as the average temperature is concerned," said Robertson. "During mid-July, the average temperature is the warmest it will be during the year."

The July long-term average temperature at Cape Girardeau is 79.4 degrees. Last year the average was 79.8. The high for July 1992 was 94. It occurred on three days.

Rain for July normally averages 3.13 inches. Last year 3.8 inches fell at the airport.

The July heat will be in contrast to early June, which started out very cool and wet. But by mid-June temperatures were above normal. The warmup finally ended an almost continuous period of cool, wet weather that began in March that caused extensive delays in planting crops and gardens.

The average temperature for June was 75.7 degrees, compared to the long-term average of 76 degrees. Robertson said the mid-June warmup helped bring the monthly average to near normal.

During the first 10 days of June the average was only 70 degrees, 3.8 degrees below the long-term average of 73.8. "During the period June 10 to 21 the average temperature was 78.3 degrees, which was up nearly 2 degrees from the long-term average of 75.9 degrees," said Robertson.

The average temperature for the final 10 days of June was 79, up about 1 degree from the long-term average.

The high for the month was 95 on June 17-18. There were 12 days in June when the daily high was 90 or above. All occurred during the latter half of the month.

Rain at the airport in June was 5.24 inches, 1.36 inches above the long-term average of 3.88.

Robertson said June weather was highlighted by rainy days. "There were 17 days on which there was rainfall," he said. "The heaviest, 1.41 inches, occurred on June 9. Most of the rain was spread out over the month, some of which did not fall at the airport. In other cases there was heavy rain at the airport but not in the city," he said.

For the first half of the year, precipitation at the airport stands at 26.28 inches. That's 2.42 inches above the long-term average of 23.86 inches for the period.