Goodwell Hits Mid-80s as Record Winter Heat Raises Texas County Concerns

Goodwell recorded 85°F on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 24, 2026, as a regional surge of unseasonable warmth sent multiple Southern High Plains communities into the mid-80s. Amarillo reached 86°F the same day, breaking a daily record of 81°F that had stood since 1918, and Dalhart climbed to 86°F, topping its previous Feb. 24 mark of 77°F set in 1986.

Abc7Amarillo reported that Borger hit 85°F, exceeding a 77-degree record set in 2025, while Childress tied its long-standing 86°F record from 2002. KVII recorded 81°F in both Clovis and Clayton, with Clovis besting a 79°F mark from 2009 and Clayton surpassing a 75°F benchmark from 2025. The stations’ readings on Feb. 24 produced a string of daily record highs across the High Plains.

Local meteorologists said the readings came under sunny skies with gusty winds and noted the event’s role in an unusually warm winter for the Amarillo area. KVII noted the heat “helped aid to what has been one of the warmest meteorological winters on record in Amarillo,” a pattern amplified by scant precipitation since December. Amarillo has recorded just 0.46 inches of precipitation since Dec. 1, ranking among the driest meteorological winters on record, and the station record for the driest winter remains 2018, when only 0.01 inches fell during the same period.

Beyond the temperature numbers, fire-weather ingredients were present. KVII warned that “the record warmth, combined with dry conditions and dormant winter vegetation, has heightened wildfire concerns across the High Plains.” That combination, high temperatures, low winter precipitation, dormant fuels and gusty winds, was singled out by forecasters as elevating fire risk as the region moves toward spring green-up.

The short-term forecast calls for a brief, minor cooldown through the remainder of the work week, with highs in the 70s expected to continue through the end of February even after the spike. Forecasters cautioned that continued warm daily highs could “bolster the hottest February on record dating back to 1892” for Amarillo if the trend persists through the month.

Goodwell’s 85°F reading is an immediate reminder for Texas County residents that weather extremes are arriving earlier this year. With multiple towns in the region posting daily records and Amarillo logging some of its driest winter rainfall totals, officials and landowners will be watching wind and fuel conditions closely as spring approaches.