Slow, cold front brings too much of a good thing

They don't call it fall for nothing.

The temperature and rain dropped Monday evening, setting up a more autumn-like pattern of cool weather.

Following a soggy night, voters today will go to the polls with temperatures barely reaching 60. That's 16 degrees below Monday's high. Voters may want to take an umbrella with them as well because forecasters predict a 60 percent chance of rain.

Forecasters expected anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of rain Monday night. It has now rained eight of the last nine days.

Exactly a month ago, farmers were complaining that the soil was too dry. Now the showers are keeping them from harvesting their crops.

"When we did start getting rain, it was too late, the soybeans were too mature for the rain to affect the size bean and pod, so the bean yield will still be down," said Gerald Bryan with the University of Missouri extension service in Jackson. "Actually, they need a few days of good sunshine so they can get their double-crop soybeans out and harvested."

Bryan said the soil has good surface moisture now, but the ground is still dry about 6 to 8 inches deep because of a low annual rainfall.

Today the thermometer, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., is supposed to peak in the low 60s.

The temperature climbed to 76 on Monday, and storms, some producing high winds and rain, pelted the region, dragging fall's inevitable chill with it.

The entire region was under flood watches Monday night.

Deep atmospheric moisture and a stubborn, slow cold front produced the weather change. Lows are expected in the low 40s tonight and could drop as low as 34 on Friday night.

The National Weather Service expects showers this morning and a high temperature in the lower 60s.

Rain could continue through Wednesday night.

Cape Girardeau experienced a cold spell in early October as well. Temperatures dipped into the low 30s in four of five days beginning on Oct. 2, including hitting the freezing mark on Oct. 6.

However, the highs in October climbed out of the 50s every day except Oct. 14, when the high was just 51. The highest high in October was 86.

bmiller@semissourian.com

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