Our area had fewer 100º+ days this past summer than we typically see on average. The average is calculated by looking at records from 1981-2010.
We typically have 1.7 days in Northwest Arkansas over 100º.
Fort Smith usually has closer to 10.7 days of 100º or higher heat.
This year was far less…
“Officially” at Drake Field in Northwest Arkansas we haven’t hit 100º in 3 years!
Put another way,133 days have passed since our last 100º measurement.
In Fort Smith we managed two 100º degree days this summer: August 7th & July 20th.
So this summer was a warm one with temperatures near and (at many times) below normal but it’s nowhere close to the years of 2011-2012 when we had near 4 times as many days at or above 100º.
Temperatures will get warm for the next few days but it looks like our chance of any additional 100º days is over. The days are getting shorter and a few of the cool Fall cold fronts have already made an appearance with more cool weather than warm weather on the horizon.
-Garrett
