Summer's last stand

Temperatures topped out at 80 degrees Sunday, giving jackets and sweatshirts even more time to collect dust in closets.

"It's a little confusing," said Susan Kern of Scott City as she and her children enjoyed the weather outside the La Croix Church in Cape Girardeau. "We had just put away our summer clothes and gotten out the jackets, and this happens. I really can't remember ever seeing temperatures like this at this time of year."

Temperatures in Cape Girardeau have only been this warm in the first week of November once in the past four years, in 1999, when the temperature reached 80 on Nov. 8 and 81 on Nov. 7, said meteorologist John Dissauer of KFVS12. Sunday's high tied the record for Nov. 2, set in 1961, and was more than 10 degrees higher than any Nov. 2 in the past 10 years.

But while this degree of warming so late in the year may not be common for Cape Girardeau, Dissauer said, fall temperature fluctuations are normal.

"Indian summer is very common," he said. "It's just above-normal temperatures after the first frost. There are a lot of ups and downs in temperature this time of year."

Dissauer pointed out that the area experienced a cool snap about a month ago, with below-average temperatures blanketing the region.

"In the fall you have this battle between summer and winter," he said.

The cooler air is hovering just north of the area, Dissauer said. It was only 50 degrees in Kansas City, Mo., on Sunday and 39 degrees in Des Moines, Iowa, he said.

The thought of cool air coming to the area pleases some area residents, like Dan Seger of Advance, Mo.

"I want snow and I want ice," he said. "I'm ready for winter already. It just doesn't seem like winter."

Seger, a duck hunter, said the warm weather has made it difficult to enjoy his pastime. As long as the warm temperatures continue, new populations of ducks won't move into the area.

The weather may be bad for duck hunters, but for other activities it couldn't be better.

Lisa and Randy Green of Cape Girardeau are involved with Habitat for Humanity, and the weather has been perfect for their work, Lisa said.

"It's made building a lot easier and quicker," she said. "The turnout has been really good, too. People are more willing to work outside when it's like this."

The Greens said their children are enjoying the weather.

But Kern said her children are eagerly anticipating the return of winter.

"They've been doing things like four-wheeling," she said, "but they can do that when it's cold. They just want it to snow."

For a few days, at least, they'll have to wait. Temperatures in Cape Girardeau will probably break the record high of 78 today, Dissauer said, and highs will hover around 70 through the middle of the week.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 226