Gainesville and Cooke County remained under a National Weather Service Extreme Heat Warning on Monday afternoon as North Texas moved through another stretch of triple-digit heat that the agency said could make outdoor work and long exposure dangerous. The warning, extended by NWS Fort Worth, runs until 9 p.m. CDT Tuesday, August 25.
The Weather Service warning covers Cooke County and Gainesville, along with nearby North Texas cities including Sherman, Denison, Denton, Bonham, McKinney, Plano, Dallas and Fort Worth. At Gainesville Municipal Airport, the latest NWS observation showed the air temperature at about 107 degrees, with the heat index near 108.
For Gainesville, the NWS point forecast called for a high near 109 on Monday, near 107 on Tuesday and just over 100 on Wednesday before afternoon highs ease into the upper 90s later in the week. In the wider warned area, the Weather Service said Monday temperatures could reach as high as 111, with Tuesday values up to 107.
NWS Fort Worth said in its Monday forecast discussion that August 24 was on track to be the hottest day of the year across its forecast area. The office said nearly all reporting locations had passed 100 degrees by 2 p.m., and that some places were expected to peak near 110. The same discussion said the office uses 105 degrees or higher as its local threshold for an Extreme Heat Warning, while 103 degrees or higher can meet Heat Advisory criteria.
The Weather Service said heat and humidity would raise the chance of heat-related illness, especially for people working outside or staying outdoors for long periods. Its public safety guidance told residents to drink fluids, stay in air conditioning, avoid direct sun, check on relatives and neighbors, and take extra care when outside. NWS Fort Worth separately urged people to limit outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and to rest in shade or air conditioning.
The active warning also noted hot, dry conditions and urged care during outdoor activity that could start fires.
The current NWS API record for Cooke County does not verify a July start to this heat-warning run. A query of Cooke County's forecast zone for July 2026 returned no watches, warnings or advisories, and the active alert metadata points to warning records from August 22 through August 24.
The heat is not confined to Cooke County. NWS Fort Worth said the warning was extended through Tuesday for most of North Texas and western Central Texas, while far southern and eastern counties were shifted to a Heat Advisory for Tuesday. NOAA also reported that July 2026 was the warmest month on record for the contiguous United States, and its August outlook favored above-average temperatures across the central and southern tiers of the country, including parts of the southern Plains.
CDC/NIOSH guidance lists heat-stroke warning signs that include confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures, very high body temperature, and either hot, dry skin or heavy sweating. The agency says delayed treatment can be fatal.
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