Red Flag Warning Issued for Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas Through Monday Evening

Weather Alerts high NOAA · · Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas

NWS Lake Charles has issued a Red Flag Warning effective until 6 PM CST today due to dangerously low humidity and gusty winds across multiple parishes and counties.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions. The alert was issued at 9:53 AM CST on Monday, February 23, and remains in effect until early this evening.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad region across Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas, including the following fire weather zones:

  • Louisiana Parishes: Allen, Evangeline, St. Landry, Lafayette, Upper and Lower St. Martin, West and East Cameron, Northern and Southern Calcasieu, Northern and Southern Jefferson Davis, Northern and Southern Acadia, Upper and Lower Vermilion, Upper and Lower Iberia, and Upper and Lower St. Mary.
  • Texas Counties: Upper and Lower Jefferson, and Northern and Southern Orange.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected zones are strongly advised that outdoor burning is not recommended. A Red Flag Warning indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or are imminent. The combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Any fire that develops will likely catch and spread rapidly.

Expected Conditions

  • Winds: North winds between 10 to 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 25 mph.
  • Relative Humidity: Levels are expected to drop as low as 10 percent.
  • Temperatures: Highs reaching up to 62 degrees.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is effective immediately and is scheduled to expire at 6:00 PM CST this evening, Monday, February 23.

Source: NOAA Official Notice