Weather

Since last July Fourth’s devastating floods in Texas, state lawmakers have been hearing stories from survivors, testimony from emergency officials and getting debriefs on investigations related to the flood. The Texas Newsroom's Blaise Gainey reports today, they’re meeting to adopt a report on the flood to guide new procedures to protect Texans during future natural disasters. With heat advisories expected this summer across Lubbock and the South Plains, KTTZ's Gabrielle De La Cruz has more on what to look out for and where West Texans can go for help.

Texas Tech University quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA and subsequent temporary injunction allowing him to play in the 2026 season has drawn plenty of attention. Our Samantha Larned reports that includes the Office of Texas Attorney General, which sent a letter to the Big 12 on Thursday, warning the Conference against potential sanctions placed on Texas Tech. Lubbock’s Public Libraries are once again partnering with Reliant Energy to operate as ‘cooling centers’ for residents over the summer. KTTZ reporter Riley Wilson has more. You can find cooling center hours here.

The Texas Hill Country is famous for its peaches. But the region's trees have been consistently stressed by a lack of chill hours during the winter, leading to small crops in the summer.

Energy experts say a growth in renewables will help the state's power grid meet increasing demand this summer.

The Texas A&M urban flood study found that cities can actually change the weather, depending on the type of weather event.

Spring storms in Texas can bring heavy rain, flash flooding, tornadoes — and hail. Sometimes the hail is pea-sized and harmless. Other times, it's big enough to smash windshields, shred roofs and leave homeowners with costly repairs. But there is still a lot about hail that we don't fully understand.

Severe weather is happening more frequently as the climate changes, adding to an ever-growing list of challenges for U.S. farmers. From sudden temperature swings to floods, these events can have serious consequences for farms and ranches.

The National Weather Service has announced that a Fire Weather Watch is in effect from noon until 9 p.m. today for the South Plains region. Our reporter Bishop Van Buren has more on how a warm and dry winter contributed to increased fire risk this spring. Starting today, Texas won't allow people to SNAP benefits to purchase “candy” and “sweetened drinks.” KERA’s Abigail Ruhman reports that retailers have spent months preparing for the restrictions.

Elevated to critical fire weather is expected to persist across the South Plains and broader West Texas region as record-breaking March heat, strong winds and ongoing drought conditions continue to dry out vegetation. Officials warn that despite a brief cooldown from a passing cold front, wildfire risk will remain moderate into early next week, with recent fires in the Panhandle and South Plains underscoring the growing danger.

Texas experienced an unusually warm and dry winter, driven by climate change. Experts warn the trend could worsen drought and extreme heat, while advocates say rising temperatures may also increase pollution exposure and health risks for vulnerable communities across the state.