Red Flag Warning and Fire Weather Watch Issued for South Plains and Southern Texas Panhandle
NWS Lubbock has issued a Red Flag Warning for Wednesday and a Fire Weather Watch for Thursday as strong winds and low humidity create extreme fire behavior risks across West Texas.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Lubbock has issued a Red Flag Warning due to critical fire weather conditions. Additionally, a Fire Weather Watch has been established for the following day. These alerts are triggered by a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures that can contribute to extreme fire behavior.
Affected Areas
The warning and watch cover the far southern Texas Panhandle, the South Plains, and portions of the Rolling Plains. Affected Texas counties include:
- Parmer, Castro, Swisher, Briscoe, Hall, Childress, Bailey, Lamb, Hale, Floyd, Motley, Cottle, Cochran, Hockley, Lubbock, and Crosby.
What You Should Do
Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. Residents should remain vigilant, as any fires that develop can spread rapidly. For those under the Fire Weather Watch, continue to monitor later forecasts for potential upgrades to a warning.
Expected Conditions
- Wednesday: Southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph. Relative humidity levels are expected to drop as low as 9 percent.
- Thursday: West winds of 25 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph. Relative humidity levels may fall as low as 11 percent.
- Fuels: Local fuels are currently classified as normal to dry.
Timeline
- Red Flag Warning: Effective from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST Wednesday.
- Fire Weather Watch: Effective from Thursday morning through Thursday evening.
Source: NOAA Official Notice