Little Rock, AR – Nearly a century ago, Arkansas endured one of its most unusual late-October heat waves on record. On October 21, 1927, temperatures soared well into the 90s across southern and western parts of the state, with Texarkana reaching a blistering 97 degrees—a mark that still stands as the hottest reading ever recorded so late in the year.
According to historical data from the National Weather Service in Little Rock, widespread 80s covered much of the state that day, while numerous locations in southwest and southern Arkansas topped 90 degrees. Pine Bluff reached 93°F, Hope recorded 92°F, and even the Harrison area in the north climbed to 87°F. The exceptional warmth followed several dry, sunny days and a stagnant upper-level ridge that trapped heat across the region.
The 1927 heat wave was notable not only for its intensity but also for its timing. Late October typically brings highs in the 60s and 70s across Arkansas, making this event an outlier in state climate records. Meteorologists note that Texarkana’s 97-degree reading remains one of the latest 90-plus-degree days ever documented in the Mid-South.
While modern falls have brought occasional warm spells, none have matched the longevity and intensity of that week in 1927. Today’s Arkansas autumns more often feature chilly mornings, patchy frost, and crisp afternoons by late October.
This historic snapshot serves as a reminder of the state’s weather extremes—from record heat to sudden cold snaps—that continue to define Arkansas’s climate.
