Red Flag Warning Issued for Central Oklahoma and Western North Texas Through Wednesday Evening

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Norman, OK, has issued a Red Flag Warning due to dry, warm, and breezy conditions. This alert indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent, driven by a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts multiple regions across North Central, Central, and Southwest Oklahoma, as well as Western North Texas. Specific counties include:

• Oklahoma: Grant, Garfield, Blaine, Kingfisher, Logan, Caddo, Canadian, Oklahoma, Grady, McClain, Cleveland, Tillman, and Comanche.
• Texas: Wilbarger and Baylor.

What You Should Do

Outdoor burning is strictly not recommended during this period. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly and become difficult to contain. Residents should prepare for hazardous fire conditions and monitor local weather updates for changes in the forecast.

Expected Conditions

• Winds: Southwest winds of 15 to 25 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 40 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity levels may drop as low as 14 percent.
• Temperatures: Highs are forecast to reach up to 76 degrees on Wednesday.
• Fire Metrics: Fuels are currently rated in the 70th-89th percentile (4 out of 5), with a fire environment rating of 6 out of 10.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is specifically in effect from 10:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST on Wednesday, February 18. A Fire Weather Watch is also in effect from Thursday morning through Thursday evening, during which winds are expected to shift from southwest to northwest at 15 to 25 mph with higher gusts.