Red Flag Warning Issued for New Mexico Plains and West Texas Mountains Through Thursday
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
Critical fire weather conditions including high winds and low humidity have prompted a Red Flag Warning for parts of New Mexico and West Texas, with a Fire Weather Watch to follow on Friday.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Red Flag Warning
- Affected area
- New Mexico and West Texas
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Midland/Odessa
Fire-weather notices describe conditions that can support rapid fire spread; they do not report that a fire is present. Check local emergency sources for any active incident.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in New Mexico and West Texas.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa TX has issued a Red Flag Warning due to critical fire weather conditions. The warning is triggered by a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuels which increase the potential for significant fire growth. A Fire Weather Watch has also been issued for the following day.
Affected Areas
The alert covers a broad geographic range across New Mexico and West Texas, including:
- New Mexico: Sacramento Foothills, Guadalupe Mountains, Chaves County Plains, Eddy Plains, and Lea County.
- Texas: Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains, Eastern Culberson County, Davis Mountains, and Davis Mountains Foothills.
What You Should Do
Residents in the warning areas should take immediate precautions. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. Residents are advised to monitor later forecasts and remain prepared for potential fire hazards.
Expected Conditions
- Winds: Southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph.
- Humidity: Relative humidity levels are forecast to drop as low as 6 percent, well below the 15 percent threshold for critical fire danger.
- Fire Environment: The Red Flag Threat Index (RFTI) is rated between 4 and 7, indicating near-critical to critical conditions. Fuels in the region are currently dry.
Timeline
- Red Flag Warning: In effect from 12:00 PM CST (11:00 AM MST) Thursday, March 5, until 8:00 PM CST (7:00 PM MST) Thursday.
- Fire Weather Watch: In effect from late Friday morning through Friday evening, March 6.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
Related Weather Alerts
All Weather Alerts →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this NWS weather alert.