LITTLE ROCK — Several places in central and western Arkansas approached 100-degree temperatures Monday - but didn’t quite meet triple-digit heat.
Fort Smith, Russellville and several municipal airports fell 3 degrees shy, topping out at 97 degrees, according to meteorologist Brian Smith of the National Weather Service in North Little Rock.
For Russellville and Batesville Regional Airport, 97 degrees represents a new daily record high temperature, Smith said.
On May 28, 1898, Russellville recorded 96 degrees, he said.
Batesville Regional Airport set its long-standing daily record of 94 degrees in 1945.
Little Rock Air Force Base also set a record, peaking at 96 degrees - beating a 1977 record of 94, Smith said.
By comparison, Little Rock and North Little Rock reached 94 and 93 degrees respectively, Smith said.
Arkansas, Pages 13 on 05/29/2012