Looking Up 2/12

Things are looking up when talking about the mercury. All indications are pointing to temperatures above normal for the next week.

Here is a look at the meteogram for Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Click the image to see a larger version.

The above chart shows temperatures forecast from various computer models and each model's various runs. Use the legend at the right of the image and match the colors of the individual line to see which model is showing what temperature. The green line is the forecast from the National Weather Service.

Generally speaking, temperatures will be up Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Monday will be cooler as a cold front passes through the area late Sunday/early Monday. Next Saturday will be cooler as a cold front passes the area. It will still be warm (current forecast: 63°), but it will be cooler than Friday.

High temperatures will be in the 60°'s by Thursday and there is a chance we could get to 70° Friday.

I thought it might be interesting to look over meteorological winter (December-February) and see where we are at.

Number of days (December 1 - February 11) above average:

• Cape Girardeau, Mo: 21 days (29% of winter)
• Carbondale, Il: 24 days (32% of winter)
• Paducah, Ky: 22 days (30% of winter)
• Poplar Bluff, Mo: 24 days (32% of winter)

Approximate temperature compared to normal for this winter (December 1 - February 11):

• Cape Girardeau, Mo: 4° below average per day
• Carbondale, Il: 3.6° below average per day
• Paducah, Ky: 4.2° below average per day
• Poplar Bluff, Mo: 2.9° below average per day

The above numbers indicates that we have had a pretty rough winter (from a temperature point of view) so far. I am a believer in the law of averages which means at some point we should turn the corner and start to see a stretch of above average temperatures. I am just hoping that doesn't happen during the summer.