Weather preview of summer- two hot days

The forecast for today -- sweat.

With forecasters predicting a record-high 90 degrees today and near-record 89 degrees Thursday, sun worshippers will be getting a mid-July preview in the apparently not-so-mild month of May.

Today should see a high of around 90 degrees in the Cape Girardeau area, according to David Humphrey, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky. He notes that the record for May 11 is in the high 80s.

On Thursday, he said to expect a high in the upper 80s, which will not be a record, but close. Those temperatures are ahead of a cold front over the weekend that should "cool us off pretty nicely," he said, bringing the temps back down to the mid-70s by Saturday. There is also a chance of rain for Friday and Saturday, he said.

"We're going to have the temperature creep up," he said. "It's going to be more like mid-July than mid-May. It's going to be hot and humid, a summerlike heat."

On Tuesday, the temperatures hit the mid-80s, drawing people out to the area's parks and walking trails to revel in the heat. Heather Davidson and her 10-month-old son, Tye, watched as her fiance caught a few bass and bluegill in the lagoon.

"It may be a little too hot, if it gets to 90," Davidson said, rubbing her son's head. "But if we stay in the shade and put on some sunblock, we'll be OK."

Four-year-old Jada chased some nearby ducks as mom Rachel Hanks chased Jada before having a picnic.

"I love the hot weather," Hanks said during a break. "I love the clothes we can wear and being able to do stuff outside. But it can get too hot. You know what they say -- in the winter you can bundle up."

Two Southeast Missouri State University students, Jennifer Kaye and Mindi Lineweber, took the opportunity to sunbathe in the park.

Kaye, 19, is from Wisconsin, where she said it doesn't usually get this hot in the summer.

"But it feels pretty good today, especially when the breeze hits," she said.

KFVS12 meteorologist John Dissauer said his forecast isn't as bad. He's calling for 88 today and 89 Thursday.

"I don't know if I would call it a heat wave, but it's definitely going to be warm," he said.

The average high for this time of year is about 75 degrees, he said.

Dissauer said the area had seen some cooler weather in recent weeks, and this is the payback.

"Mother Nature has a way of balancing things out," he said.

smoyers@semissourian.com

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