54 Rainless Days, a Burn Ban, and a Heat Advisory Through Tonight

If you have anything outside to do today, do it before noon or after seven. That's the honest short version.

The National Weather Service has a Heat Advisory in effect for Denton County through 8 PM tonight. Above-normal temperatures near or just above 100°F, combined with humidity, are pushing afternoon heat indices well above the air temperature across North and Central Texas. The heat index is the "feels like" number. The actual air temperature is lower, but when your body can't shed heat fast enough, the difference doesn't matter much. Check weather.gov/fwd for the current advisory text and heat index values for your area.

Drink water before you're thirsty. By the time you feel it, you're already behind. The National Weather Service advises anyone outdoors to wear lightweight loose-fitting clothing, move strenuous activity to early morning or evening, and take frequent breaks in shade or air conditioning. If someone shows signs of heat stroke — confusion, hot and dry skin, not sweating — that's a 911 call.

The advisory ends tonight, but triple digits continue. Forecasters expect temperatures across North and Central Texas to remain 7 to 10 degrees above normal into next weekend. Check weather.gov/fwd for daily updates before you plan anything outside.

The dry stretch underneath all this heat is something else. As of Monday, September 7, DFW Airport had logged 54 consecutive days with no measurable rain — the sixth-longest such stretch on record. DFW also sits at 43 days at or above 100°F for the year, tying 2006 for tenth place on the all-time list. Both tallies are still climbing.

That parched ground is exactly why Denton County is under a mandatory burn ban. On August 25, 2026, County Judge Andy Eads signed a Local Disaster Declaration citing wildland fire danger driven by the prolonged dry conditions — making the burn ban official. High temperatures, high winds, low humidity, and dead or dormant vegetation have all pushed wildfire risk into territory that threatens homes, property, and lives. The ban stays in place until drought conditions improve. It prohibits all outdoor burning, outdoor hot work like welding and cutting, and the use of certain combustible materials. Outdoor cooking is restricted to propane or natural-gas devices that must be fully enclosed; wood and charcoal devices require full enclosure and at least five feet of clearance from any vegetation or debris. Violations carry criminal penalties under Texas law — see Denton County's outdoor burning page for the specific statute and consequences.

On the water side, Flower Mound has been operating under its Long-Term Water Conservation Plan. Sprinkler systems and hose-end sprinklers are prohibited between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Automatic irrigation is limited to two days per week. Even-numbered addresses water on Tuesday and Friday; odd-numbered addresses water on Wednesday and Saturday. Hand-held hose, drip irrigation, and rainwater harvesting are allowed any time. The town can tighten these restrictions further if conditions worsen — flowermound.gov/Water-Conservation is the place to watch.

Peak heat runs roughly 2 to 6 PM. Reschedule hard outdoor work to before 10 AM if you can. Check on older neighbors who live alone — they're often the last to ask for help and the most vulnerable when it gets like this. And if you've been putting off foundation watering, a soaker hose set during your allowed hours right now beats a cracked slab later.