D2 drought conditions developed in a few of our eastern counties during the last week of February.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS FWD wrote it up.
D2 drought conditions developed in a few of our eastern counties during the last week of February.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Fort Worth, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 21, 5:41 PM CST, 6 hours 19 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fort Worth TX 541 PM CST Sat Feb 21 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... - Following a few chilly mornings with near or below freezing low temperatures, above normal temperatures and rain-free conditions are expected through much of next week. - An elevated wildfire threat may materialize Tuesday through Thursday as above normal temperatures return along with breezy southwesterly winds. && .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through tonight) Issued at 1139 AM CST Sat Feb 21 2026 High clouds continue to shift away from North and Central Texas, leaving behind clear skies through the afternoon. After last night's cold front, expect temperatures today to remain in the 50s and 60s across the region. As we continue through the afternoon hours, gusty winds will persist with a few gusts closer to 30-35 mph. Winds are expected to gradually subside after sunset, settling at around 10-13 mph through the night. Clear skies and diminishing winds will lead to fairly chilly conditions tonight with many locations dropping into freezing territory. Areas with the most widespread freezing conditions will be west of I-35. North and northeast of the DFW Metroplex may also see a scattering of freezing temperatures, however, not everyone will drop below 32 degrees. The vast majority of the DFW Metroplex should remain above freezing thanks to the heat island effect. && .LONG TERM... (Sunday through next Friday) Issued at 1139 AM CST Sat Feb 21 2026 High pressure will overtake the western half of the country, leading to tranquil weather conditions across our region. With northerly flow continuing during the day tomorrow, another cool day is expected as highs remain in the 50s to lower 60s across the region. By early Monday morning, freezing conditions are expected across much of the region. With the recent bout of warm weather, if you brought your plants outdoors, make sure to bring them back indoors to protect them from the cold! Similar weather conditions are expected on Monday compared to Sunday, however, a warming trend will commence on Tuesday. Along with the warmer temperatures expected by the middle of next week, drier air will impact western parts of North and Central Texas Tuesday through Thursday, raising the potential for grass fire starts. Minimum relative humidity values will be in the lower 20s with breezy southwesterly winds. The warmest day will likely be Wednesday as much of the region climbs into the mid 80s. Although this is going to be about 20 degrees above normal, temperatures will be 10-12 degrees below record values. By Thursday, a cold front is expected to move south across the region, however, given the lack of cold air, above normal temperatures will persist through the weekend. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 541 PM CST Sat Feb 21 2026 VFR conditions and north winds will continue through the period. Breezy/gusty winds will subside by 02-03Z this evening with wind speeds between 7-12 knots overnight. Winds will increase to 10-15 knots mid to late Sunday morning with gusts around 20 knots through the afternoon. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Dallas-Ft. Worth 36 58 33 59 / 0 0 0 0 Waco 35 60 32 60 / 0 0 0 0 Paris 33 53 29 54 / 0 0 0 0 Denton 30 57 27 58 / 0 0 0 0 McKinney 33 56 29 57 / 0 0 0 0 Dallas 38 58 34 59 / 0 0 0 0 Terrell 33 58 29 58 / 0 0 0 0 Corsicana 37 61 33 61 / 0 0 0 0 Temple 35 62 32 63 / 0 0 0 0 Mineral Wells 30 60 29 62 / 0 0 0 0 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...Hernandez LONG TERM....Hernandez AVIATION...Barnes
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
D2 drought conditions developed across most of the county the last week of February.
D2 drought conditions developed across the eastern half of the county the last week of February.
D2 drought conditions developed across the western half of the county the last week of February.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, February 2026
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1319581, 1319582, 1319583.