Red Flag Warning Issued for South Plains and Southern Texas Panhandle Through Wednesday
This alert is no longer in effect.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).
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NWS Lubbock has issued a Red Flag Warning for several West Texas counties as strong winds and low humidity create a high risk for rapid fire spread through Wednesday evening.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Red Flag Warning
- Affected area
- South Plains and Southern Texas Panhandle
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Lubbock
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 South Plains and Southern Texas Panhandle.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Lubbock has issued a Red Flag Warning due to critical fire weather conditions. This alert is issued when a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Additionally, a Fire Weather Watch remains in effect for the following day.
Affected Areas
The warning and watch cover the far southern Texas Panhandle, the South Plains, and the northern Rolling Plains. Specific counties affected include:
- Parmer, Castro, Swisher, Briscoe, Hall, Childress, Bailey, Lamb, Hale, Floyd, Motley, Cottle, Cochran, Hockley, Lubbock, and Crosby.
What You Should Do
Residents are advised that any fires that develop in these conditions can spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged. Residents should stay informed by listening for later forecasts and potential updates to the warnings.
Expected Conditions
- Wednesday: Southwest winds are expected at 20 to 30 mph, with gusts reaching up to 40 mph. Relative humidity is forecast to drop as low as 9 percent.
- Thursday: West winds are expected at 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph. Relative humidity is forecast as low as 11 percent.
- Fuels: Surface fuels are currently reported as normal to dry.
Timeline
- Red Flag Warning: Effective Wednesday, February 18, from 11:00 AM CST until 7:00 PM CST.
- Fire Weather Watch: In effect from Thursday morning, February 19, through Thursday evening.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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