RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY: SEPTEMBER SECOND WETTEST ON RECORD

Last month was the second wettest September on record in Cape Girardeau in more than seven decades. It was also the sixth coolest September on record in more than four decades, according to Al Robertson, climatologist and professor of geo-sciences at Southeast Missouri State University.

And the National Weather Service says more wet weather may be in store for Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois through the end of the year.

That's not good news for those trying to recover from the devastating, record-high floods on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers this past summer.

Robertson said total precipitation at the airport in September was 10.23 inches, nearly seven inches above the 75-year, long-term average of 3.62 inches.

"That made September 1993 the second wettest in Cape Girardeau in 75 years," said Robertson. "In fact, last month just missed becoming the wettest September on record by just .53 of an inch. The wettest September on record was in 1945, with 10.76 inches."

By comparison, Robertson said the driest September on record in Cape Girardeau was in 1928, when no precipitation fell during the month.

"Most of the rain fell during the first three days of the month, and from the 19th to 26th. The wettest day of the month was the 23rd, with 3.38 inches. That also set a new daily precipitation record for the date. The old record was 1.75 inches, set in 1972," said Robertson. "There were three other days with more than an inch of rain; 1.68 inches on Sept. 3, 1.9 inches on Sept. 14, and 1.23 inches on Sept. 26."

September was also cool the entire month, according to Robertson. "The actual monthly temperature average was 67.5 degrees, down three degrees from the 45-year, long-term average of 70.5 degrees. That made it the sixth coolest September here in 45 years," he said.

Robertson said the average temperature for each of the 10-day periods of the month were well below seasonal norms. During the first 10 days, the average temperature was 71.6 degrees, down 2.6 degrees from the long-term average of 74.2 degrees.

For the period, Sept. 11-20, the average was even lower, 66.7 degrees, down nearly 3.8 degrees from the long-term average of 70.5 degrees.

The final 10 days of the month were also cooler than normal. The average temperature was 64.2 degrees, down 2.2 degrees from the long-term average of 66.4 degrees.

Despite the consistently cool weather, Robertson said no new low temperature records were set in September. The high for the month was 92 on Sept. 2. The low of 44 degrees occurred Sept. 28.

With the arrival of October, attention will focus on the first killing freeze of fall.

Robertson said a killing freeze occurs when the temperature is at or below 30 degrees. The average date of the first killing freeze at the airport for the past 32 years is Oct. 3.

Last year, the first killing freeze occurred Nov. 7. Robertson said the earliest a killing freeze has occurred here since 1962 was Oct. 6, 1964. The latest date of the first killing freeze was Nov. 26, 1985.

Because of the late start most area farmers had in getting their crops in the ground due to a wet spring, a late freeze would be welcomed this fall, so the late-planted soybeans can fully mature.

However, farmers may still have trouble getting their combines in their fields this fall to harvest those soybeans. The 30-day, October weather outlook for the Cape Girardeau area indicates near to slightly below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation.

The long-range, 90-day outlook, through the end of December, indicates heavier than normal precipitation for the area, and near seasonal temperature averages.