Texarkana's Wildest Radio Station!
Texarkana's Wildest Radio Station!
August 2, 2026
TEXARKANA, Texas — Coaches and activity directors at Texas-side schools are adjusting to heat safety rules that became mandatory this month, requiring them to measure conditions on the field with a specific instrument and to shorten or halt practice when readings climb.
The University Interscholastic League's Wet Bulb Globe Temperature standard took effect Aug. 1 for the 2026-27 school year. WBGT had been a UIL recommendation since 2023. After two years of voluntary use, the Medical Advisory Committee recommended making it mandatory, and the Legislative Council approved.
The rules apply to all UIL outdoor athletic activities and to marching band.
What WBGT measures
Wet Bulb Globe Temperature is not the same as the number on a thermometer or a heat index reading. It combines air temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar radiation into a single figure meant to reflect what a body actually experiences working outdoors in the sun.
That distinction matters locally. A 95-degree afternoon with a breeze and low humidity is a different physiological situation than a still, humid 95-degree afternoon, even though both read the same on a thermometer.
Schools are required to use a scientifically approved WBGT instrument or an equivalent approved method, such as an internet-based weather station service, to monitor conditions before and during activity.
The thresholds that apply here
Texas is split into two zones. Class 2 covers West Texas and the Panhandle, where modifications begin at a WBGT of 79.7 degrees. Class 3 covers the rest of the state, including Northeast Texas, and modifications begin at 82 degrees.
Under the Class 3 guidelines, a reading of 82 or below allows normal practice with at least three rest breaks per hour of at least three minutes each. As readings rise, required breaks increase and practice time is capped. At higher levels, football players are restricted to helmet, shoulder pads and shorts.
Between 90.1 and 92 degrees, outdoor practice is limited to one hour, a minimum 20-minute rest break is required, no protective equipment may be worn and conditioning activities are prohibited.
Above 92 degrees, no outdoor practice or competition is permitted. Activity must wait for conditions to cool.
Rapid cooling zones capable of full-body cooling are required to be available for outdoor