State Weather Policies > UIL Weather Policies for Texas Schools
2024/2025 UIL Weather Policies for Texas Schools
Welcome to the Texas Weather Policy Guide, a handy resource for understanding UIL and THSADA weather policies for athletics in Texas. We’ve simplified the information to make it easy to find what you need.
What are the UIL Heat Stress Activity Guidelines for 2024/2025?
UIL WBGT & Heat Stress Activity Guidelines
The following Wet Bulb Globe Temperature recommendations are specifically for outdoor practices. All charted information below is based on recommendations by the UIL (University Interscholastic League) for 2025-2026.
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Schools should use a scientifically proven method, like a weather station or a weather monitoring app, to monitor the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT).
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Schools should keep a record of the WBGT temperatures for all outdoor practices.
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WBGT readings should be taken every 30 minutes during practice. For on-site instruments, set up 30 minutes before practice, take readings 15 minutes before start. For online apps, check WBGT 15 minutes before practice.
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Modify practice activities responsibly according to the WBGT Activity Guidelines when the WBGT level changes.
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Practices refer to any coach/director-led, school-approved sport or band conditioning activity. This includes the time from when they arrive at the practice area to when they leave.
Texas WBGT Class 2 & 3 Zones
Texas is divided into Class 2 and 3 zones, with each zone providing specific recommendations to adjust activity levels and keep athletes safe. The chart above outlines the activity guidelines relative to both zones. Here’s what the UIL has mandated:
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Every UIL School Must have a Cooling Zone: All schools must have cooling zones where the WBGT is 80°F or higher.
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Cooling zones must have cold-water immersion options for rapid cooling.
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Coaches must provide unlimited access to water throughout practice.
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Rest breaks should focus on rehydration and rest only, with no activity.
UIL WBGT Webinar
We recently hosted a webinar breaking down the UIL heat and wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) recommendations. Watch now for game-changing tips and practical advice for your school.
How Can Perry Weather Help?
Precise on-site WBGT monitoring
For athletic trainers and directors prioritizing athlete safety, Perry Weather offers precise on-site wet bulb globe temperature monitoring.
Guide your coaches and staff in taking the right actions with hyper-local WBGT monitoring and alerts tailored to your heat stress policies.
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Accurate WBGT offers a more precise understanding of real-world conditions than heat index, ensuring safety and informed decision-making for all outdoor activities.
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Automatic WBGT measurements are instantly recorded and stored, ensuring you stay compliant without the tediousness and potential errors of traditional manual methods.
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We translate data into practical steps based on heat stress policies and local regulations. From hydration reminders to activity adjustments, we ensure safety first.
Automated heat stress policy based alerts
Automatic instructive alerts and warnings that are triggered based on your policies, keeping you compliant and confident in your decision-making so everyone on your staff knows exactly what to do when WBGT levels are high.
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Automated Warnings: Push notifications and text message alerts with automatic action instructions once WBGT threshold is breached
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Custom Quiet Times: Pause notifications during weekends or nighttime, ensuring disturbance-free periods for when practices and games aren’t taking place
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Configurable Settings: Configure specific user and warnings settings that fit your organization’s needs
Predictive Heat Stress Warnings
Get heat and WBGT risk updates based on your policies, so you’re not caught by surprise and are able to adjust outdoor activities accordingly.
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Set customized alerts to be notified when WBGT levels reach critical thresholds, ensuring timely action to protect athletes from heat-related illnesses.
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Our team stays up-to-date on evolving state regulations to help schools and athletic trainers implement heat stress guidelines effectively.
UIL Lightning Safety Recommendations
When to Suspend Play?
The following guidelines are based on recommendations by the UIL.
Activities must be postponed or suspended if signs of a thunderstorm are imminent before or during an activity or contest. Here’s what to do if a thunderstorm is imminent:
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Suspend play for 30 minutes and seek shelter immediately if thunder is heard within 30 seconds of lightning.
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Suspend all activities and seek shelter immediately if a cloud-to-ground lightning bolt is seen.
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After suspending activities, wait at least 30 minutes following the last sound of thunder or lightning flash before resuming activities or returning outdoors.
Lightning Recommendations
The following protocols are set by the UIL Lightning Safety Recommendations. Postpone or suspend activity if a thunderstorm appears imminent before or during an event, even without visible lightning or audible thunder, until the hazard has passed. Warning signs include darkening clouds, high winds, thunder, or lightning.
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Establish a chain of command to decide who makes the call to remove individuals from the field.
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Designate a weather watcher to monitor for signs of threatening weather and notify the chain of command.
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Ensure there is a reliable way to monitor local weather forecasts and warnings.
How Can Perry Weather Help?
Instantly Tailor Alerts to Your Lightning Safety Policies
Perry Weather’s lightning detection and alerts system gives you clear, actionable instructions aligned with your lightning safety policies.
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We’ll notify you as soon as lightning is detected with automated alerts. We guide you through immediate actions, keeping your athletes safe and practices on track.
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Automatic alerts and real-time data for informed decision-making during critical weather events.
Know When It’s Safe to Resume Activities
Know exactly when it’s safe to step out after a lightning strike with Perry Weather’s lightning countdown timers.
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When a lightning strike is detected nearby, Perry Weather initiates a countdown until given the all-clear and resuming outdoor activities.
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The timer resets with each subsequent strike, ensuring adherence to lightning safety protocols before resuming activities
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Stay a step ahead with advanced radar and predictive lightning risk management for confident event planning and adaptive scheduling.
Outdoor Warning System
Get custom PA alerts and audible alarms with our lightning warning system.
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Instantly broadcast alerts and safety messages automatically across your campus – no matter the weather conditions.
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Strobe lights, loud alarms, and text-to-speech make sure you won’t miss lightning alerts.
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It works even during power outages, ensuring continuous safety without needing a direct power source.
Texas Cold Weather Policies
There are two cold-related conditions that coaches, administrators and athletes should be aware of: hypothermia and frostbite.
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Hypothermia is when the core body temperature decreases to at least 95°F.
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It occurs when the heat loss is greater than the metabolic and heat production. Hypothermia can be either mild, moderate, or severe, based on core body temperature.
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Frostbite is a thermal skin injury that’s caused by freezing of the skin and tissues.
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It results from prolonged or brief exposure to extreme cold. The body areas most prone to frostbite are the hands, feet, nose, ears and cheeks.
Trusted by Schools Across Texas for Weather Policy Compliance
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature device important for UIL events?
A wet bulb globe temperature device lets athletic trainers measure WBGT conditions on the field. UIL guidelines emphasize preventing heat-related illnesses, and this technology ensures you can instantly adjust practice times, water breaks, and rest intervals to protect athletes.
What is the difference between the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature and the Heat Index?
Wet bulb globe temperature in a nutshell is a more in-depth heat stress measurement taking into account more of the environment (Direct sunlight, water vapor capacity, cloud coverage, etc.). Read more about the differences between WBGT and the heat index here.
What is a Heat Illness?
There are two main ways heat illness can strike:
1. Classic Heat Illness: This is caused by your environment’s impact on your body’s ability to cool down. Think high temperatures, humidity, direct sun, and no breeze.
2. Exertional Heat Illness (EHI): This one focuses on your own internal heat production. It can happen even in mild weather if you push yourself too hard.
What is the difference between Heat Stress and Heat Illness?
Imagine heat stress as a warning light on your body’s dashboard. If heat stress isn’t addressed, it can progress to heat illness. This is a medical emergency where the body can no longer cool itself down effectively. It can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. Read more here.
How can I measure the WBGT? What is the best way to measure the wet bulb globe temperature?
To measure WBGT, use a scientifically approved WBGT meter. The best way to measure it is by using Perry Weather’s advanced weather monitoring platform.
What do I do if lightning strikes?
- Activate local Emergency Management Service.
- If necessary, carefully move the victim to a safer location.
- Assess airway, breathing, and circulation; initiate CPR if needed.
- Check for and treat hypothermia, shock, fractures, and burns.
What do I NOT do when lightning strikes?
- Do not shower, bathe, or use landline phones inside a safe shelter (cell phones are OK).
- Avoid being the highest point in an open field, or near the tallest object.
- Stay away from any open water.
- Do not seek shelter under or near trees, flagpoles, or light poles.
- Do not lie flat on the ground.
What is a Safe Shelter?
A safe shelter is any frequently inhabited building with four solid walls (not a dugout), electrical and telephone wiring, and plumbing, which aid in grounding the structure.
Where Do I Go When Lightning Approaches?
- Designate a safe shelter for each venue.
- All individuals have the right to leave an athletic site to seek a safe structure if they feel in danger of impending lightning.
- As a secondary option, a fully enclosed vehicle with a metal roof and completely closed windows provides safety from lightning.
- Do not touch any part of the vehicle’s metal framework during a thunderstorm.
Can a player who has been struck by lightning be safely touched by others?
Yes. Lightning victims do not carry a residual electrical charge. However, prioritize checking for injuries and call emergency services immediately.
Who is responsible for enforcing lightning safety protocols during practices or games?
Responsibilities may vary, but typically coaches, athletic trainers, and officials share the responsibility for monitoring weather conditions and enforcing safety procedures.
What if there are no readily available shelters nearby?
Some policies allow for designated “safe havens” under sturdy structures like bleachers (away from metal supports) or inside enclosed vehicles with the windows rolled up. However, this is a last resort.
How Schools Are Addressing Weather Policies With Perry Weather
Watch how schools across the country are using Perry Weather to comply with state weather policies and keep their campuses safe.
