Mississippi River flood warning issued for Monday

A flood warning has been issued for Cape Girardeau County and several surrounding counties in Missouri and Illinois beginning Monday.

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau is expected to rise 1 1/2 feet above flood level, to 33.5 feet, meteorologists from The National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, said.

Flood stage is classified as anything above 32 feet.

The flood warning also applies for Perry and Scott counties in Missouri and Union and Alexander counties in Illinois.

Sean Poulos of the National Weather Service said the flooding wasn't expected to make a major effect except in low-lying areas in Cape Girardeau and the county.

Scattered storms are predicted in the area, but Poulos said it was still "up in the air" on how many storms the region would get by the middle of next week.

Poulos predicted by Wednesday evening, the river probably would fall below flood stage, but it depends on how many storms occur in the area Monday and Tuesday.