Temperature again hits record high in Cape on Saturday

With a high of 104 degrees recorded in Cape Girardeau on Saturday, the day's high temperature soared past the previous record of 99, set in 1964.

The high temperature was recorded at 12:59 p.m. Saturday.

Nine of the past 10 days have seen temperatures above 100 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Tuesday was the only day in the past 10 that temperatures stayed in the 90s.

High temperatures have broken records seven of the past 10 days, including the past four days in a row. Friday's high of 106 shattered the old record for July 6 of 98 degrees, set in 1966.

While it's not unheard of to have a four- or five-day streak with record-breaking temperatures, it's an extremely rare event, said Dan Spaeth, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Today's temperatures will be in the 90s, Spaeth said, but people still need to take precautions because heat indexes will range from 100 to 105 degrees. A heat advisory remains in effect for Southeast Missouri through 6 p.m. today.

The large high pressure system that has dominated the region for days will begin to weaken today, Spaeth said, allowing a cold front to come down from the north. Showers and thunderstorms are expected tonight and into Monday.

Temperatures should return to normal for the rest of this week, but Spaeth said he believes the area is still likely to see more triple- digit temperatures before the summer is over.

While rain is in the forecast, drought conditions persist. Rainfall totals for the year are still nearly 14 inches below normal, according to the National Weather Service. Since January, a total of 11.5 inches of rain has fallen in Cape Girardeau.

Southeast Missourian managing editor Matt Sanders contributed to this report.

mmiller@semissourian.com

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