WEATHER COULDN'T BE BETTER FOR THIS WEEK'S SEMO DISTRICT FAIR

It has been better than fair at the SEMO District Fair in terms of the weather.

Mild days with low humidity and cool nights have made it nice to be outdoors.

High pressure over the region has brought in cooler air from the North. "That is contributing to really, really nice weather," said David Blanchard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky.

"I like the blue skies, myself," he said from his Paducah office Thursday.

The winds from the north extend through a deep layer of the atmosphere.

The drought conditions that have plagued the region are helping to keep humidity low. "Northerly winds plus a very dry ground are contributing to the low humidity conditions," Blanchard said.

Cape Girardeau's humidity stood at 37 percent Thursday afternoon.

Cape Girardeau registered a high of 84 Wednesday and overnight low of 43.

Local climatologist Al Robertson said the low temperature approached the record low of 42 degrees for the date, set on Sept. 16, 1966.

Wednesday's low of 45 degrees in Cape Girardeau tied a record low for that date, and the city has experienced near record lows at other times in recent days.

"This fair is very unusual," said Robertson, a retired Southeast Missouri State University professor.

The big difference over the past week has been the cool mornings. Last year during fair week, the lows ranged from 59 to 70 degrees.

Pete Poe couldn't be happier with the weather. Poe is president of the fair board.

"This is probably one of the most consistent weather weeks we have had at the fair," he said. "Sunday started off a little cool and damp. There was a mist off and on."

The spell of dry weather had some people hoping for a little rain.

"I think fairgoers came out anticipating getting good and wet one time," he said. What they experienced was little more than a mist.

Poe said fair week typically is hotter and more humid. It often rains several times during the week.

The mild weather has been good for attendance, which stood near 40,000 after the first three days of the fair.

Poe said the weather has been good for fairgoers and the fair's animals. "We don't have to hose them down all day to keep them cool," he said.

The forecast is for the mild weather to continue through the weekend.

Said meteorologist Blanchard, "I wish it was this way all the time."

FAIR SCHEDULE

TODAY

10 a.m. -- Youth activities

5 p.m. -- Gymnastics

6:15 p.m. -- Smile contest

6:30 p.m. -- Saw contest

7 p.m. -- Square dancers

8 p.m. -- Billy Ray Cyrus

SATURDAY

8 a.m. -- Antique tractor pull

8:30 a.m. -- Public speaking contest

10 a.m. -- Recipe contest

10:30 a.m. -- Livestock parade

11:30 a.m. -- Quarter scramble

1 p.m. -- Poultry, rabbit dress-up contest

2 p.m. -- Fiddlers contest

2 p.m. -- Pee wee showmanship

3 p.m. -- Ag adventure

4 p.m. -- Pedal tractor pull

4:30 p.m. -- Country and western dancing

6 p.m. -- Desert Rain Band

8 p.m. -- Waylon Jennings