Texas school sports heat policy
From 2026-27, UIL says WBGT is “no longer a recommendation, but a required standard”; its two regional tables limit outdoor practices, not games. How to read these labels
- Association
- UIL (University Interscholastic League)
- Label
- WBGT required
- Reading it uses
- WBGT
- Statewide table
- Yes, two tables shown below
- Last checked
- September 8, 2026
What UIL’s document says
The policy cited below is written as a requirement.
UIL titles its 2026-27 heat plan a “REQUIRED Plan”. The zones here are UIL’s own Class 3 column. UIL’s activity limits apply to practices; at contests, its plan calls for a rapid cooling zone rather than these limits.
UIL’s Class 3 table
- < 82°FNormal activity
Normal activities. Provide 3+ rest breaks per hour (≥3 min each); unlimited water.
- 82 to under 87°FUse discretion
Use discretion for intense or prolonged exercise; watch at-risk athletes. 3+ rest breaks/hour (≥4 min each).
- 87 to under 90.1°FReduced: cap 2 h
Cap practice at 2 hours. Football: helmet, shoulder pads, and shorts only (pads off for conditioning). 4+ rest breaks/hour (≥4 min).
- 90.1 to under 92.1°FLimited: cap 1 h
Cap practice at 1 hour. No protective equipment and no conditioning. ~20 min of rest breaks across the hour.
- ≥ 92.1°FCancel outdoor activity
No outdoor workouts: delay or cancel until the WBGT drops to a cooler level.
UIL publishes two tables. Its FAQ says a school near the boundary between Class 2 and Class 3 “should make a local determination as to which classification they will use before the start of the school year,” and then apply it consistently. Check which your school follows.
UIL’s Class 2 table
- < 79.7°FNormal activity
Normal activities. Provide 3+ rest breaks per hour (≥3 min each); unlimited water.
- 79.7 to under 84.7°FUse discretion
Use discretion for intense or prolonged exercise; watch at-risk athletes. 3+ rest breaks/hour (≥4 min each).
- 84.7 to under 87.7°FReduced: cap 2 h
Cap practice at 2 hours. Football: helmet, shoulder pads, and shorts only (pads off for conditioning). 4+ rest breaks/hour (≥4 min).
- 87.7 to under 89.8°FLimited: cap 1 h
Cap practice at 1 hour. No protective equipment and no conditioning. ~20 min of rest breaks across the hour.
- ≥ 89.8°FCancel outdoor activity
No outdoor workouts: delay or cancel until the WBGT drops to a cooler level.
This is a plain-language summary to help you plan. It is not legal advice, and it is not the association’s document. Associations revise these policies often. Confirm what currently applies with your school, district or association.
What else to know
- UIL approved WBGT as a recommended measurement in 2023. Its 2026-27 plan says it “is recommended” that schools record and keep on file the readings for outside practices.
- UIL’s plan says rapid cooling zones, with cold-water immersion tubs or tarps ready, “must be available” at outdoor athletic and marching band practices, workouts and contests from the first band above normal activities.
- UIL’s plan says “WBGT readings must be taken within 15 minutes prior to the start of practice”, and that readings should then be taken every 30 minutes during practice.
- UIL marks its two classes only on a national map, with no county list, so this page does not assign a class to any Texas school or city.
How to read this
Each row is a range of WBGT readings, and every reading falls in exactly one row. A range like “82 to under 87°F” includes the first number and stops just below the second. The short activity notes in each row are a general guide, worded the same on every state page. UIL’s document may word its limits differently or add rest breaks, equipment and water rules, so open it for the exact rules.
Before you rely on this
- This page summarizes UIL’s document. It does not replace it. If they differ, go by the document and by the policy your school or league has adopted.
- Confirm what currently applies with your school, district or association. Many schools adopt their own version.
- Any WBGT number WetBulbTracker shows is a modeled estimate for planning, not an official reading. Where a policy calls for an on-site reading, that reading governs.
- This page does not replace an athletic trainer’s judgment.
Live heat readings in Texas
- Amarillo heat and WBGT
- Arlington heat and WBGT
- Austin heat and WBGT
- Carrollton heat and WBGT
- Corpus Christi heat and WBGT
- Dallas heat and WBGT
- Denton heat and WBGT
- El Paso heat and WBGT
- Fort Worth heat and WBGT
- Frisco heat and WBGT
- Garland heat and WBGT
- Grand Prairie heat and WBGT
- Houston heat and WBGT
- Irving heat and WBGT
- Killeen heat and WBGT
- Laredo heat and WBGT
- Lubbock heat and WBGT
- McAllen heat and WBGT
- McKinney heat and WBGT
- Mesquite heat and WBGT
- Plano heat and WBGT
- San Antonio heat and WBGT
- Waco heat and WBGT
Suggest a correction
Associations update these documents, often before the fall season. If something here is wrong or out of date, send us a link to the current document and we will re-check it.
Suggest a correction