Red Flag Warning Issued for Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles Through Thursday Evening

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. This alert replaces the previous Fire Weather Watch and indicates that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or imminent.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad region including:

• Oklahoma: Beaver County.
• Texas: Hansford, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Moore, Hutchinson, Roberts, Hemphill, Oldham, Potter, Carson, Gray, Wheeler, Deaf Smith, Randall, Armstrong, Donley, and Collingsworth counties, as well as Palo Duro Canyon.

What You Should Do

Residents are advised that outdoor burning is not recommended. The National Weather Service urges the public to avoid any activities that promote open flames or sparks. Because any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly, residents should remain vigilant and prepared to respond to fire threats.

Expected Conditions

Weather conditions for Thursday are expected to include:

• Winds: West to northwest winds between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts reaching up to 40 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity levels as low as 9 percent.
• Temperatures: Highs ranging from the lower 50s to the mid 60s.
• Fire Environment: The fuel dryness (ERC) is rated in the 70th to 89th percentile, contributing to a high fire environment rating of 5 out of 10.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is specifically in effect from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST on Thursday, February 19. A separate warning for even stronger winds (gusts up to 55 mph) and lower humidity (7 percent) remains in effect until 8:00 PM CST this evening, February 18.