Heat sets local records

Although the temperature had been hotter — 114-degrees on Aug. 3 — this marquee at the Gravette School proves it didn't cool off much two days later.

Although the temperature had been hotter — 114-degrees on Aug. 3 — this marquee at the Gravette School proves it didn't cool off much two days later.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

— Record or near-record temperatures have been common in northwest Arkansas and the area as an embedded pressure system, centered over Arkansas/Oklahoma, has kept its grip on the region.

Last Wednesday was the hottest day in more than 50 years as thermometers registered inthe middle and sometimes upper 100-teens, depending upon their locations and other atmospheric and terrain variables.

Officially, at the NOAA weather station in Gravette, the temperature edged “just a sliver” below the all-time high of 114 degrees which was recorded in Gravette on July 12, 1936.

The mercury Wednesday topped the 113 degrees which was recorded here on July 13, 1954. “It’s safe to say we exceeded the 1954 mark and equaled the 1936 record,” said Dodie Evans, who maintains the Gravette station.

Max Schmidt, who was weather observer in 1936, added no comments in his July monthly report submitted to the National Weather Service.

But Elson Schmidt, the observer in 1954, wrote in his July report that year, “July: The hottest, most damaging month ever experienced. Water extremely low.”

The 1954 heat/drought cycle continued an unprecedented three-monthspan through July, August and into late September, following a record-setting July that year There were 17 days of 100-plus in August and the last 100-degree day in September occurred Sept. 20.

Schmidt wrote in his report, “Cloud seeding started here 9/20 by Weather Corps of America, Pryor, Okla., for the City of Tulsa.” (And .54 of rain actually fell in Gravette on that date.)

In 1936, Spavinaw Creek, south of Gravette, was a major supplier of water for Tulsa. That city still receives part of its water supply from the Spavinaw watershed.

News, Pages 1 on 08/10/2011