Red Flag Warning Issued for Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles Through Wednesday

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 now or are imminent. The warning was issued due to a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a wide geographic area including:

• Oklahoma Panhandle: Cimarron, Texas, and Beaver counties.
• Texas Panhandle: Dallam, Sherman, Hansford, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hartley, Moore, Hutchinson, Roberts, Hemphill, Oldham, Potter, Carson, Gray, Wheeler, Deaf Smith, Randall, Armstrong, Donley, and Collingsworth counties, including Palo Duro Canyon.

Expected Conditions

Residents should prepare for high-end critical fire weather conditions:

• Winds: For Tuesday, southwest winds of 35 to 45 mph are expected with gusts reaching up to 70 mph. On Wednesday, southwest winds will continue at 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
• Humidity: Relative humidity levels are forecast to drop as low as 10 percent on Tuesday and 9 percent on Wednesday.
• Temperatures: Highs on Tuesday will reach the 70s to low 80s, while Wednesday will see temperatures in the 60s to mid-70s.
• Fire Environment: The NWS has rated the fire environment at a 7 out of 10, with fuels in the 70th to 89th percentile.

What You Should Do

Any fires that develop under these conditions will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. Residents are urged to avoid activities that promote open flames and sparks. A Red Flag Warning means that weather conditions are favorable for rapid fire growth and spread.

Timeline

The Red Flag Warning is currently in effect. A specific period of high concern is identified for Wednesday, February 18, from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM CST. The alert is scheduled to expire at 8:00 PM CST on Wednesday.