Grassfire threat reaches ‘critical’ levels for South Texas Wednesday

Low humidity and gusts to 40 mph fueling concerns

South Texas will see a high fire danger for much of Wednesday (Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved.)

While we did see a line of showers move through earlier this morning, most of the area saw less than a 0.10″ of rainfall. Now, with gusty winds kicking up and humidity levels dropping, fire concerns return.

Gusty Winds & Fire Danger:

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  • Strong winds combined with dry air and ample fuel will create a high fire danger most of the day on Wednesday.
  • Wind gusts of up to 40 mph out of the west will be possible, allowing for the quick spread of any fire that develops.
  • Burn bans remain in place in numerous South Texas counties.
Winds could gust as high as 40 mph in spots across South Texas (Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved.)
With dry conditions, here are some tips you'll want to remember. (Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved.)

Current Drought Situation:

  • Exceptional drought conditions stretch from Webb County north into Dimmit and Maverick County.
  • Extreme drought is creeping into Bexar County and the San Antonio area.
  • Rain last year produced good plant growth, which in the current drought situation, is providing fuel for fires.
Drought conditions continue to worsen across South Texas, especially for those west of 281. (Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved.)

Spring Outlook:

  • La Nina is helping to create a dry pattern that is expected to continue into early summer.
  • As the drought worsens, lake levels will fall and grassfires will remain a concern.

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About the Authors:

Justin Horne is a meteorologist and reporter for KSAT 12 News. When severe weather rolls through, Justin will hop in the KSAT 12 Storm Chaser to safely bring you the latest weather conditions from across South Texas. On top of delivering an accurate forecast, Justin often reports on one of his favorite topics: Texas history.

Sarah Spivey is a San Antonio native who grew up watching KSAT. She has been a proud member of the KSAT Weather Authority Team since 2017. Sarah is a Clark High School and Texas A&M University graduate. She previously worked at KTEN News. When Sarah is not busy forecasting, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and cat, and playing music.