Springtime warmth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area has hit an incredible milestone already for 2022. On March 27, DFW recorded its first 90-degree day so far in the year, earlier than typical years, according to the National Weather Service.
Local thermometers topped out at 94 in Dallas on March 27, a whopping 30 degrees higher than the temperature usually seen on this date. Historically, with 61 degrees being the average daily temperature, this unseasonably warm day was marked by gusty winds and low humidity.
The dry, warm weather does not come without some concerns, says the National Weather Service. More than 20 North Texas counties west of and along Interstate 35 were designated with red flag warnings due to the warm and dry winds increasing the likelihood of wildfires.
The weather service’s red flag warning lasted until 8 p.m. on March 27, 2022, and included Bosque, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, Hill, Hood, Jack, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Wise, and Young counties.
The National Weather Service warns that wildfires can develop when certain conditions are present, and it is difficult to contain their rapid spread.
Dry air and warm temperatures were a recipe for potential wildfires to develop; Sunday’s high temperatures and high winds speeds (consistently over 20 miles per hour) led Parker County authorities to battle multiple wildfires simultaneously.
Parker County Emergency Services battled eight fires on Sunday; seven were reported 100% contained by that afternoon. All emergency personnel were reported safe.
On Fort Hood property, a Coryell County fire was reported on Sunday at 4 p.m., with over 10,000 acres of active flames not contained. The fire, called the Crittenburg Fire, was initially ablaze in an area with no residents. However, the weather service reported that the fire was moving northeast towards State Highway 36, threatening structures along its potential path.
On Sunday, March 27, Texas A&M Forest Service reported that they were fighting 23 active fires across the state. Some carryover fires were named, including the Eastland Complex blaze, the Ramsey fire, the Hayfield South fire, and the Das Goat blaze.
On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, expected stormy weather will push the warm, dry air out of the area, potentially reducing the current wildfire and ozone concerns.
As the forecast of seasonably warm weather continues for the Dallas-Fort Worth area for the remainder of March, area residents can expect a brief drop in temps mid-week. After Tuesday and Wednesday’s storms, spring weather more typical of the region is expected to return.