Excessive Heat — Butler, Missouri

2011-07-10 to 2011-07-12 · Butler, Missouri

Wider weather episode

High pressure in the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere expanded east-northeast from the southern Plains. As this high expanded across southern Missouri, it brought a few days of excessive heat and humidity. Peak heat indices on the afternoon of the 10th reached 112 degrees at Cape Girardeau and 119 at Poplar Bluff. On the 11th, the heat index peaked at 117 degrees at Cape Girardeau and 120 at Poplar Bluff. On the 12th, the heat index peaked at 115 degrees at Cape Girardeau and 118 at Poplar Bluff. Actual air temperatures were highest on the 11th, when the high at Cape Girardeau was 99 and the low was 80. At Poplar Bluff, the high was 98 and the low was 80 on the 11th. In Butler County, a 57-year-old man died in a camper that he had been living in for several weeks. The man was using the camper as his residence. There was only a fan for cooling and ventilation. The man had been consuming alcohol, which may have been a contributing factor. In Ripley County, a 74-year-old man was found dead in his home. It appeared he had been working outside shortly before he returned to the house. Heat was likely a contributing factor in his death, but the primary cause of death could not be determined by the coroner (indirect fatality).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 318902. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.