MISSISSIPPI REACHES FLOOD STAGE

The Mississippi River is expected to reach flood stage today at Cape Girardeau, a relatively unusual phenomenon in February.

The river was at 31.2 feet at Cape Girardeau Monday and was forecast to reach 33.2 feet today. Flood stage here is 32 feet.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Cape Girardeau and Thebes, Ill., Monday.

Flood stage is an arbitrary number, said Andy Juden Jr., president of the Main Street Levee District. "The designated flood stage is something that somebody made up a long time ago.

"... What gets you and your property wet is flood stage."

The river was expected to climb to 34.7 feet Wednesday before cresting at 35.5 feet Thursday. Water goes over the Themis Street floodgate in Cape Girardeau at 36 feet.

Juden said a decision will be made Wednesday whether to close the floodgate on Themis Street. It will be based on the weather forecast for St. Louis and Cape Girardeau.

The weather forecast for Wednesday and Thursday in Cape Girardeau calls for a chance of showers.

River forecast centers try to take into account potential rainfall when predicting river stages, says Paul Witsaman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Paducah, Ky.

"The tricky part about that is, it's one thing to forecast if it's going to rain but how much are you going to have and over how wide an area," he said.

Climatologist Al Robertson said river levels usually drop in January and February. Reaching flood level is a result of "melt up (north) and heavy amounts of rain in Missouri," Robertson said.

Last month was the fourth-wettest January on record in Missouri. Cape Girardeau recorded 10.5 inches of rain.

Juden said high water in January and February is unusual. "But it's like tornadoes. You can always have them."