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WELCOME TO MYFLIGHT FORECAST™

MyFlight Forecast™ gives you, the passenger, and access to Flying Weather Forecast data that pilots will review prior to every flight. While a pilot will review much more data, data that they've spent years learning to interpret, this site breaks down the most relevant data for the passenger to determine flight conditions, potential flight and airport delays, and most importantly, flight turbulence forecast.

Weather Radar

Reference Weather Radar to determine the location of precipitation (Snow, Rain) and where it is located relative to your flight path. Pilot Tip - Just because you see areas of precipitation, does not mean that you will necesarily be flying through it! You might be miles above it!

Satellite Imagery

Reference the Satellite page to locate clouds, or areas of decreased visibility. While clouds can generally increase the likelihood of turbulence while flying through them, keep in mind, clouds are just moisture, or water. Water is generally not that scary. Not all clouds that appear on the satellite imagery can guarantee areas of turbulence, it greatly depends on the stability of the atmosphere.

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Get your Flying Weather Forecast before and during your flight - receive real time turbulence reports and discover where turbulence has been reported by aircraft currently in-flight

Airport Delays

Type in the three letter identifier (ex. JFK, LAX, ORD) of the airports that you are travelling to and from, and get real time information on any potential airport delays due to; Wind, Visibility, Weather or delays due to volume.

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What to Know if the Winter Storm Wreaks Havoc on Your Holiday Travel

Forecasters say a “bomb cyclone” will tear through much of the U.S. this week and that travelers could face cold, snow and rain. What can you do if your plans are disrupted?

A group of passengers with luggage crowds around an airport check-in station. Facing them across a row of screens are airline employees.

By Maria Cramer

  • Published Dec. 21, 2022 Updated Dec. 24, 2022

Wind, freezing rain and snow are predicted from the Northwest to the Northeast this week. Forecasters say vast swaths of the Central and Eastern United States could be hit with a blast of Arctic air that could ice runways and freeze roadways. Blizzard conditions are predicted for the Central and Northern Plains and Great Lakes regions. Parts of Wyoming will see windchill temperatures drop to 69 and 70 degrees below zero.

And it’s all just in time for the holiday travel rush.

Whether you are planning to travel by plane or by car over the Christmas weekend, you could face delays, cancellations and treacherous conditions.

The weather could create more chaos at airports, which AAA, the automobile association, said will be “packed” during the holidays. Nearly 7.2 million Americans are expected to fly between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, which is 14 percent more than last year and almost as many as in 2019, according to AAA.

Should you cancel your trip? What are your options if your flight is delayed or canceled? Here’s what you need to know if the holiday storm upsets your travel plans.

Know your rights

If the prospect of getting stuck is too daunting, many airlines, including United , American Airlines and JetBlue , are offering to rebook passengers on other flights without additional fees — if they are flying to or from areas that are expected to be hit by severe weather.

But first check the details with your carrier, because each airline has different parameters on when passengers can reschedule their flights.

If your flight is canceled, airlines are obligated by federal law to provide a full refund if the passenger requests it, said Scott Keyes, the founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights , a service that tracks and emails airfare deals to customers. This is true even if a flight is canceled because of the weather.

“It’s still not your fault as a traveler, and you are still entitled to a full cash refund if you want one,” Mr. Keyes said.

If a flight is “significantly delayed,” airlines may also provide a refund if you decide not to fly, Mr. Keyes said, though they are not required to do so. Airlines define what a “significant delay” means though two or three hours for a domestic flight should be a good rule of thumb.

To know what your carrier’s policies are, consult the Department of Transportation’s online dashboard , which features 10 U.S. airlines with green check marks next to the services they offer when flights are delayed or canceled for reasons that the airline controls, such as staffing.

In August, the agency said that it is working on a rule change that would require airlines to refund passengers whose departure or arrival times are delayed by three hours on domestic flights or six hours on international flights.

Use your leverage

Mr. Keyes said this could be an opportunity to take advantage of the expected chaos. If your airline is dropping change fees, it may be possible to get on a better flight than what you originally booked.

Airlines would much rather keep your money than fork over a refund, so “they will work with you to switch to a better flight,” he said.

Another tip: You can try calling an airline’s international hotline, not the U.S. number, even if the canceled flight was domestic, he said.

“Most airlines have numbers all over the world,” Mr. Keyes said. “They’ll have agents there whose lines are empty. They can all help get you rebooked just the same.”

Passengers who booked with online travel agencies, like Expedia, will have to work through those agencies for refunds or to make flight changes, he said.

Be prepared

Install a flight tracker app on your phone, or use your airline’s app to monitor your flight and set up alerts so that you get information as early as possible.

Knowing a flight is going to be delayed or even canceled can help passengers act quickly, said Kathleen Bangs, a spokeswoman for FlightAware , a flight tracking company.

“Then you can be first in line — or first on the phone or on your app — to make arrangements for another flight,” she said.

Passengers who become stranded at the airport may also be able to negotiate with airlines for vouchers, Ms. Bangs said, even though airlines are not required to offer them when weather causes a delay or cancellation.

Ms. Bangs said more airlines are empowering their employees to make decisions at the gate or on the phone to help customers, a philosophy espoused by Herb Kelleher , the founder of Southwest, who focused heavily on customer service.

Customer service agents may be willing to upgrade a stranded passenger’s seat, give them more miles on their mileage plan or provide a hotel voucher even if they are not obligated to, Ms. Bangs said.

“They might say, ‘Well this is a weather event so we’re not offering anything,’” she said. But “it never hurts to ask in a polite way.”

What if I’m driving?

There are two reasons your car trip might be delayed: heavy traffic and weather.

Even if the weather is clear in your location, expect congestion, especially on those days when holiday travelers share the road with regular commuters.

About 102 million people plan to drive 50 miles or more from their homes between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, according to AAA. That’s 3.6 million more than the number of people who drove during the holiday season in 2021 and nearly as many as in 2018, when 102.5 million people hit the roads. (The record was set in 2019, when 108 million people drove between Christmas and New Year’s Day.)

In major metro areas like New York City and Los Angeles, travelers could face traffic delays that are twice as long as usual, according to INRIX, a transportation analysis agency.

If you can, drive on Christmas Day, said Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX.

But if you have to leave before that, avoid driving between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 23, and between noon and 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, when regular commuters are still expected to be on the road, he said.

“If schedules allow, leave bright and early or after the afternoon commute,” Mr. Pishue said.

The cold, ice and snow won’t help. In some parts of the country, the warnings about freezing weather are downright frightening.

In parts of Texas, “ dangerously cold wind chills ” are possible Thursday and Friday, while the Midwest could see blizzard conditions on Thursday.

AAA “strongly recommends drivers pack an emergency kit,” said Aixa Diaz, a spokeswoman for the group.

The kit should include a cellphone charger, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first-aid kit, reflectors, an ice scraper or snow brush, a shovel, drinking water, extra snacks and food for everyone in the car, including pets if they are traveling with you.

Drivers should have warm gloves, clothes, hats and blankets for everyone in the car. They should also clean their headlights, replace old wiper blades and inspect their tire pressure on their vehicles.

Drivers are also advised not to use cruise control in slick conditions and to stay in their lane as much as possible, since there may be patches of ice between lanes.

“If you hit a patch of ice and begin to skid, try to stay calm and resist the urge to slam on the brakes,” Ms. Diaz said. “Instead, look where you want the car to go and steer in that direction.”

Most importantly, she said, “if there is a blizzard in your path, stay home.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places for a Changed World for 2022.

Maria Cramer is a reporter on the Travel desk. Please send her tips, questions and complaints about traveling, especially on cruises. More about Maria Cramer

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Preparing Your House for the Cold:  Here are steps to take  to prepare for bitter cold, strong winds and other severe winter conditions at home.

Wind Chill Index: Even if the ambient temperature stays the same, you might feel colder when you are hit by a gust of wind. This is how meteorologists measure the feeling of cold .

On the Road:  Safety experts shared some advice  on how snow-stranded drivers caught in a snowstorm can keep warm and collected. Their top tip? Be prepared.

Is It Safe to Go Outside?:  Heat, flooding and wildfire smoke have made for treacherous conditions. Use this guide to determine when you should stay home .

Climate Change: What’s causing global warming? How can we fix it? Our F.A.Q. tackles your climate questions big and small .

Evacuating Pets: When disaster strikes, household pets’ lives are among the most vulnerable. You can avoid the worst by planning ahead .

Extreme Weather Maps: Track the possibility of extreme weather in the places that are important to you .

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Blizzard in California's Sierra Nevada brings nonstop snow, dangerous conditions

As snow totals continue to accumulate by the hour, winter storm warnings in California’s Sierra Nevada are expected to continue past Sunday, according to the National Weather Service .

The region has been experiencing relentless blizzard conditions since Thursday , resulting in the closure of a long stretch of Interstate 80 in California and residents’ being asked to take shelter as heavy snow and strong wind gusts threatened their safety.

The National Weather Service said Saturday that more than 3 inches of snow had been falling in the Sierra Nevada every hour and that winds were blowing over 100 mph, causing whiteout conditions “making travel impossible through the area.”

The blizzard should start to wane Sunday, it said, but another storm is expected to start Monday.

NWS Sacramento said a blizzard warning was in effect through Sunday evening because of conditions that made for "extremely dangerous to impossible travel." A winter storm warning will also remain in effect until 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Emerald Bay Road in Lake Tahoe

It is the biggest snowstorm of the season, with additional blizzard and winter storm warnings extending to parts of Northern California and into Nevada .

“ HIGH to EXTREME avalanche danger ” is expected in the backcountry through Monday morning throughout the central Sierra slopes between Yuba Pass and Ebbetts Pass , including the greater Lake Tahoe area, the weather service said.

Nevada’s Transportation Department urged people Saturday to avoid travel if they could, and it said on X that it was "digging highways out of last night's snow."

Blizzard conditions in the region also prompted winter storm warnings in parts of Utah and Colorado.

The Sierra Nevada mountains

U.S. Route 50, the east-west highway that stretches across the country, reopened Sunday morning after a snowslide at the mountain pass Echo Summit briefly trapped several vehicles but left no injuries.

The California Highway Patrol said Sunday morning that it still had “no estimated time of reopening” for I-80, the main route between Reno and Sacramento.

The state patrol and other transportation officials and authorities had reported responding to dozens of collisions on the freeway, as well as vehicles sliding into snowbanks or getting stuck on the road, NBC Bay Area reported . There were no immediate reports of any serious injuries.

Snow blanketed houses along Donner Lake.

Thousands of power customers in the regions affected by the blizzard experienced storm-related outages, according to Pacific Gas & Electric . Dave Ebbert, a supervisor for the utility company in the Sierra region, reported downed power lines on I-80 and trees that had knocked down power lines in the area as of Friday.

By Sunday morning about 14,700 customers remained without power statewide, according to PowerOutage.us .

“We’re going to work diligently to keep the community and the public safe,” Ebbert said. “We’re going to restore power safely in the most timely manner possible.”

weather affecting travel today

Nicole Acevedo is a reporter for NBC News Digital. She reports, writes and produces stories for NBC Latino and NBCNews.com.

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Blizzard warning of up to 10 feet of snow in Northern California’s Sierra, travel ‘dangerous to impossible’

A Pacific storm packing powerful winds and heavy snow is shaping up to be the strongest of the season, forecasters say, as it pushes toward California with potential blizzard conditions in the Sierra and up to 10 feet (3 meters) of snow in the mountains around Lake Tahoe by the weekend.

The National Weather Service in Reno issued a blizzard warning Wednesday for a 300-mile (482-kilometer) stretch of the Sierra from north of Lake Tahoe to south of Yosemite National Park effective from early Thursday to 10 a.m. Sunday. Widespread blowing snow will create blizzard conditions with white-out conditions and near-zero visibility, making travel “dangerous to impossible” Friday into Saturday morning, when the heaviest snow is expected, the weather service said.

READ MORE: How winter weather can affect your drinking water

Between 2 and 4 feet (61 to 122 centimeters) is expected in towns along Tahoe’s shore and 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3 meters) at the highest elevations with winds gusting in excess of 100 mph (160 kph) over Sierra ridgetops, the weather service said. Road closures and power outages are likely.

“Do not take this storm lightly,” the weather service in Reno warned.

Potential snow totals vary under different scenarios, but the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, said there’s little doubt “March will be coming in like a lion for the West Coast states.”

An “impressive winter storm will hammer the Cascades to the Sierra with blizzard conditions to end the week,” the center said Wednesday. Heavy but lesser snow is on its way to the Rocky Mountains, and “heavy rain is expected for the coastal areas between San Francisco and the Olympic Peninsula of Washington where a few inches are likely over the next 3 days.”

The lead scientist at a snow lab atop the Sierra said it’s possible they could break their modern-day record of about 3.5 feet (1 meter) of snow in a single day from back in 1989.

“It’s a very serious storm for us,” Andrew Schwartz said Wednesday from UC-Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Lab, founded in 1946 in Soda Springs, California, northwest of Lake Tahoe.

Kristi Anderson, a waitress at The Gateway Cafe in South Lake Tahoe, California said she’s already filled up her gas tank and was stocking up on food and firewood.

“Last year we had a lot of storms, and the power went out a lot and a lot of people couldn’t get out to get food and the grocery stores didn’t have power so, we’re preparing for that,” Anderson said. “I’m hoping not a lot of people travel here because the roads will be really bad.”

Others remain skeptical.

Richard Cunningham said he’s heard before about forecasts for the storm of the century that didn’t materialize since he moved from Las Vegas to Reno in 1997.

“Same story, different day,” he said Wednesday. “Sometimes it doesn’t even snow.”

But Schwartz, the Sierra snow lab scientist, said he’s been watching the computer models over the past two weeks and, if anything, thinks the National Weather Service’s snowfall predictions are conservative.

“The forecasted total at the snow lab of 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.8 meters) is on the lower side of what the models are suggesting,” he said.

It’s good news for Tahoe-area ski resorts, where the season began with little snow but has been picking up as of late on the heels of last year’s near record snowfall.

Officials at Palisades Tahoe ski resort, where a skier was killed in an avalanche last month, said on its web site Wednesday it’s “thrilled about the prospect” for heavy snow while at the same time preparing for “challenging operational impacts.”

“There will be slick roads, reduced visibility, and closures on mountain passes that are pretty much guaranteed,” Palisades Tahoe spokesman Patrick Lacey said.

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weather affecting travel today

The Arctic could become 'ice-free' within a decade, sooner than projected, study says

weather affecting travel today

The Arctic could be "ice-free" in the summertime as soon as the next few years, scientists said in a study Tuesday. That's the earliest date any study has suggested an ice-free Arctic could occur – as many as 10 years earlier than previous projections .

The ice in question is seasonal sea ice, which freezes each winter but melts in the summer. The amount of summertime sea ice has been in decline for years because of human-caused global warming.

What scientists refer to as the first "ice-free" Arctic summer year will occur when the Arctic has less than 386,000 square miles of sea ice.

"Ice-free conditions could occur as early as the 2020s and 2030s," study lead author Alexandra Jahn, of the University of Colorado , told USA TODAY. Jahn said greenhouse gas emissions are the main contributors to sea-ice loss.

Specifically, the study projects that the Arctic Ocean could become ice-free for the first time on a late August or early September day in the 2020s to the 2030s under all future emissions scenarios.

What is sea ice? Why is it important?

Sea ice is frozen ocean water that melts each summer, then refreezes each winter. Sea ice in the Arctic has been declining for years, particularly during September, when it typically reaches its lowest coverage of the year.

Earlier research projected it would be virtually ice-free by late in the century if higher greenhouse gas emissions continued unabated.

Sea ice affects Arctic communities and wildlife such as polar bears and walruses, and it helps regulate the planet’s temperature by influencing the circulation of the atmosphere and ocean.

What does this mean for the the Arctic's animals and people?

"A decreasing sea ice cover threatens the survival of ice-adapted species like polar bears, who depend on sea ice to hunt," Jahn told USA TODAY. "So the longer ice-free conditions last, the more the survival of polar bears is threatened.

"For people living in the Arctic, the decline of Arctic sea ice affects how long they can travel over the frozen Arctic Ocean − as well as affecting coastal erosion, which can threaten seaside villages as larger open water areas lead to increases in wave heights."

How else does sea ice affect us?

What happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic , scientists have said. Indeed, Jahn said, "other studies have shown that the loss of summer sea ice in the Arctic has the potential to affect weather in the U.S. as well as increase wildfire risks in the western U.S."

An ice-free Arctic Ocean in the summer also would make the Arctic much more accessible for shipping, mining and tourism, she said.

What do others say about the study?

Walt Meier , a senior research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center , who was not involved in the new study, told USA TODAY that the study's methodology was sound. But, he said, "there are still uncertainties in the models and potential bias in how they predict future sea ice conditions. So any kind of projection is going to have pretty high uncertainty, particularly in predicting a specific year of ice-free conditions."

In addition, he said, although an ice-free Arctic is possible this decade, it is "not likely."

"The mid- to late 2030s is more plausible, at least as far as having one year reach an ice-free state," Meier said.

What is the timetable for the sea ice loss?

If the world continues on its current emissions path, the Arctic might become ice-free only during late summer and early fall from August to October, the study said. But under the highest emissions scenario, the Arctic could be ice-free for up to nine months by late this century.

“This would transform the Arctic into a completely different environment, from a white summer Arctic to a blue Arctic," Jahn said in a statement . "So even if ice-free conditions are unavoidable, we still need to keep our emissions as low as possible to avoid prolonged ice-free conditions.”

The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Reviews Earth ­­& Environment .

Related: Baked Alaska: Climate change's extreme heat is warming the state, and creating national security problems

What's in store for Reno-Sparks from incoming storm system

weather affecting travel today

Update Thursday 2 p.m.

The National Weather Service updated its blizzard warning for the Tahoe area, saying more snow is possible.

Communities in the Lake Tahoe area could see 3 to 6 feet of snow in the system with 6 to 10 feet for elevations above 7,000 feet.

The warning goes into effect on Thursday for Tahoe and end on Sunday.

Original story

A strong winter storm system moving into the Sierra Nevada on Thursday morning will bring damaging winds and snow to the valley floor over the next several days.

The multi-day system will blow in with a high wind warning on Thursday for Reno-Sparks with gusts up to 65 mph possible, and then rain will set in later in the afternoon.

More than a foot of snow could reach the valley floor, with several feet of snow forecast for the Tahoe area.

Automobile and air travel could see delays as the system moves through from Thursday to Sunday.

What's expected in Reno-Sparks?

As high winds fade Thursday night, a chance of snow moves in with the highest accumulations forecast Friday night and into Saturday.

The National Weather Service forecast 1 to 3 inches on Friday night with an additional 4 to 8 inches on Saturday for Reno.

Hector Crespo, meteorologist at Reno NWS, said areas like Spanish Springs could see even higher totals.

Winds will remain on Friday with gusts up to 40 mph. Gusts up to 35 mph are possible on Saturday.

High temperatures will be in the mid-50s on Thursday, trending down to 40 degrees for Saturday and the upper 30s on Sunday.

How the storm will affect Lake Tahoe

A blizzard warning goes into effect on Thursday with the Tahoe area set to see 4 to 8 feet of snow above 7,000 feet and 2 to 4 feet for communities around Lake Tahoe.

NWS said travel could be dangerous in the Sierra Nevada during the storm that will clear out on Sunday.

Low visibility and whiteout conditions are expected in mountain passes.

See a Map of Where the Deadly Texas Wildfires Are Spreading 

T he second-largest wildfire in U.S. history, and the largest in state history, is currently sweeping across the Texas Panhandle , burning through more than one million acres of land.

Two people have now been confirmed dead as a result of the blazes. Joyce Blankenship, an 83-year-old grandmother was discovered in the remains of her burned home, while Cindy Owens, an Amarillo woman in her 40s, died Tuesday after she exited her truck for an unknown reason while driving in the Texan city Canadian. Sgt. Chris Ray of the Texas Department of Public Safety said that "the fire simply overtook her," NBC reported.

The largest of the fires—which spans nearly 1.1 million acres—began at Smokehouse Creek and was 15% contained as of Sunday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.  

Map of wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma.

The Windy Deuce Fire in Moore County, which covers more than 144,000 acres, was 55% contained on Sunday. The Grape Vine Creek fire, at 34,800 acres, was 60% contained. The Magenta Fire in Oldham County, spanning approximately 3,300 acres, was 85% contained. The 2,000-acre 687 Reamer Fire was 10% contained. 

On Sunday, Moore County Sheriff’s office warned that a new fire was possible in the Canadian River area because of high winds, low humidity, and large amounts of grass. The office told residents to prepare to evacuate if necessary.

Fire officials from Lubbock, Texas, help put out smoldering debris of a home destroyed by the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Stinnett, on Feb. 29, 2024.

Evacuations have been ongoing across the region. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a state of disaster declaration in 60 counties earlier in the week. Citizens of Moore, Potter, Hemphill, and Hutchinson counties have been forced to leave their homes. Evacuation orders were also issued for communities in Wheeler, Allison, Kelton, and Briscoe, but those were reportedly lifted earlier this week.

Fourteen fires were also burning in the neighboring state of Oklahoma, across more than 319,000 acres, on Sunday—part spillover from the Smokehouse Creek blaze. Oklahoma’s Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry reported two new fires that burned 933 acres.

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag warning —indicating dangerously dry and windy weather—until 9 p.m. Sunday for Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. A cold front was expected to move into the area on Monday and could bring some relief.

Multiple vehicles and multiple residences are seen destroyed by the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Canadian, Texas, on Feb. 29, 2024.

During a visit to the southern border in Brownsville, U.S. President Joe Biden spoke out about the fires, thanking first responders for “risking their lives to save others” and urging locals to heed official warnings. 

“When disasters strike, there is no red state or blue state where I come from. There are just communities and families looking for help,” he said, adding that Texas has received $13 billion in relief funding throughout his presidency. He also linked the disaster to environmental concerns, noting: “I love some of my Neanderthal friends, who still think there’s no climate change.”

Firefighters battle flames from the Smokehouse Creek fire near Sanford, Texas, on March 3, 2024.

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Wildfires burn more than one million acres in Texas panhandle. Track wildfires in real-time

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Update: See the latest updates on acres burned, containment and map of the Texas wildfires.

Five fires are currently ravaging the Texas panhandle .

As of 8 a.m. Thursday, the fires had burned over one million acres of land in the northern region of the state, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service .

The National Weather Service Office in Amarillo took to X , formally known as Twitter, to give live updates and urge the public to take precautions.

The Texas A&M Forest Service is also tracking fires across the state .

What we know: At least one dead as massive Texas panhandle wildfire grows.

Here are the locations, size and containment of the fires as of 8 a.m. CT Thursday:

  • Smokehouse Creek Fire — Hutchinson County, 850,000 acres, 3% containment
  • 687 Reamer Fire — Hutchinson Country, 2,000 acres, 10% containment
  • Windy Deuce Fire — Moore County, 142,000 acres, 30% containment
  • Grape Vine Creek Fire — Gray County, 30,000 acres, 60% containment
  • Magenta Fire — Oldham County, 2,500 acres, 60% containment

The Juliet Pass Fire burned nearly 3,000 acres and was 100% contained as of 8 a.m. Thursday.

As fire officials continue to battle fires, here's how to track fires in your area:

Map: Texas fire tracker

The fire tracker provides a map with pinpoint locations of each fire and also shows where red flag warnings are in effect, among other information. You can also click on each point to see detailed information on the fire in that area.

If you can't see the map above,  click on this link .

Texas wildfires: The Smokehouse Creek Fire has charred 850,000 acres with 3% containment

The largest wildfire recorded in Texas is still burning. Here’s what to know.

weather affecting travel today

A Texas inferno fueled by dry, abnormally warm conditions has destroyed as many as 500 structures, scorched more than 1 million acres of land and killed at least two people since igniting in the Texas Panhandle on Monday afternoon, according to state officials.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest of the four active wildfires ripping across the region, covers an area greater than the size of Rhode Island, according to the Associated Press. The blaze was 15 percent contained and has spread into Oklahoma, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. It is the largest wildfire on record in Texas.

“When you look at the damages that have occurred here, it’s just gone, completely gone,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said during a news conference Friday. “Nothing left but ashes on the ground.”

Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 60 Texas counties on Tuesday, and President Biden , during a Thursday trip to the U.S.-Mexico border, thanked first responders for “risking their lives to save others” and pledged to help “everyone affected by these wildfires.”

It is unclear what started the fire, and authorities are investigating.

Here’s what you need to know about the largest wildfire in Texas.

How big is the fire?

The Smokehouse Creek Fire has burned through about 1,076,000 acres in Texas and Oklahoma, leaving dead cattle, burned crops and charred homes in its wake. It was 15 percent contained at about 3 p.m. local time Saturday.

There are three other active wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

As of Saturday afternoon, the Grape Vine Creek Fire covered 30,000 acres and was 60 percent contained. The Windy Deuce Fire covered about 142,000 acres and was 60 percent contained. The Magenta Fire had burned 3,300 acres and was 85 percent contained as of Friday morning.

How is the weather affecting it?

Record-breaking high temperatures coupled with low relative humidity and strong winds have fueled the Panhandle wildfires. Winter temperatures hit 100 degrees in Killeen, 93 degrees in Dallas and 82 degrees in Amarillo on Monday — the day the fires began, according to The Washington Post. (For reference: Amarillo’s Feb. 26 average is 59 degrees .)

There was a brief respite Thursday, when lower temperatures and light snow showers slowed the fires and made them easier to fight. However, warm, dry, windy conditions across the Texas Panhandle over the weekend pose a “very high” wildfire threat, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Temperatures in the region were in the high 70s and 80s on Saturday, with wind gusts as high as 45 mph , according to the National Weather Service, which issued a “red flag warning” because of high fire danger through Sunday evening. On Sunday, temperatures are expected to be in the high 70s and low 80s, while wind gusts could reach 50 mph .

How many people have died?

Authorities have attributed two deaths to the fire.

Cindy Owen, a 44-year-old truck driver from Amarillo, died two days after getting caught in the Smokehouse Creek Fire on Tuesday, Owen’s sister-in-law Jennifer Mitchell told CNN. First responders found her alive outside the truck and took her to an Oklahoma City burn unit where she died, Mitchell said.

Joyce Blankenship, 83, was found dead in her burned home in Stinnett, Tex., this week, according to AP. She was a former substitute teacher. The circumstances of Blankenship’s death were not immediately clear.

What other damage has occurred?

Texas is the nation’s top cattle producer, and the Panhandle is home to 85 percent of that livestock, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture.

While it’s unclear how many cattle have been killed in the wildfires from either burns or smoke inhalation, the number is likely to be in the thousands, according to the AP.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told NPR that while ranchers and farmers could suffer losses as a result of the blaze, the overall impact on the Texas cattle industry and consumer beef prices would be minimal.

Destroyed crops, agricultural land and power lines are worrying farmers and ranchers in the region. There is little food or water remaining for their herds, according to the Texas Tribune. Abbott told reporters Friday that the wildfires have destroyed about 400 to 500 structures.

Important context

Before the Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest fire in Texas records was the 2006 East Amarillo Complex fire, The Post reported Thursday. The March 2006 fire killed a dozen people and scorched nearly a million acres.

The most destructive wildfire recorded in Texas is the 2011 Bastrop County Complex Fire, which killed two people, destroyed more than 1,600 homes and caused about $325 million in property damage, according to the Amarillo Globe-News.

Most of the state’s largest recorded wildfires have occurred since 2010, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The fires are a part of a growing trend of large, more frequent wildfires made more extreme by climate change, according to The Post.

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Dfw - dallas/fort worth international airport current conditions, current weather forecast, 07-mar-2024.

Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 60s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

A chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the morning, then showers with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 90 percent.

Mostly cloudy with showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Lows around 60. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Partly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning, then sunny with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph, becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Much cooler with lows in the mid 40s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 15 to 20 mph after midnight.

Mostly sunny. Much cooler with highs in the upper 50s.

Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s.

Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s.

Partly cloudy in the evening, then clearing. Lows in the lower 40s.

Sunny. Highs around 70.

Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s.

Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.

Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 50s.

Mostly sunny. Highs around 80.

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