The UIL WBGT Activity Chart, Level by Level

What Each Flag Color Actually Requires — and What Happens if Conditions Change Mid-Practice

When the UIL announced its WBGT mandate — effective August 1, 2026 — it provided a structured activity chart that defines exactly what coaches and athletic directors must do at every level of heat stress. The chart is not a suggestion. It sets the legal minimum standard for outdoor athletic activity at every UIL member school.

Understanding the chart means more than knowing the WBGT numbers. It means knowing which restrictions apply to which activities, what rest-to-work ratios are required, and — critically — what to do when conditions move from one level to another during practice.

This guide walks through all five flag levels in detail, with specific guidance for the activities most likely to be affected.

The Full UIL Activity Chart

The UIL activity chart uses WBGT ranges that differ slightly between Class 2 (West Texas/Panhandle) and Class 3 (all other Texas schools). The flag colors and protocol requirements are identical — only the WBGT trigger points differ. The table below shows Class 3 thresholds; Class 2 schools should reference the UIL's official county classification document for their specific numbers.

Green Flag — Normal Operations with Vigilance

A Green flag reading (below 82.0°F for Class 3, below 79.7°F for Class 2) does not mean heat is not a concern. It means conditions are within the range where typical training activity can proceed with standard hydration and rest protocols.

UIL requirements during Green conditions:

• Hydration: Athletes should have unlimited access to water throughout practice. The UIL prohibits energy drinks at any flag level. Water should be available at the field — not just in a locker room.
• Monitoring: WBGT must still be checked every 30 minutes. Green conditions in the morning can escalate to Yellow or Orange by afternoon as temperatures peak. Never assume conditions stay static.
• Acclimatization: The UIL has a separate acclimatization protocol for the first days of fall practice. Even in Green conditions, the acclimatization schedule governs equipment and contact restrictions during the first 14 days.

The primary risk during Green conditions is complacency. August mornings in Texas can start in Green territory and move into Yellow or Orange by mid-afternoon. Programs that monitor only at the start of practice — and not every 30 minutes — may be caught off guard by escalating conditions.

Yellow Flag — Heightened Awareness and Rest Discipline

Yellow conditions (82.0–86.9°:F for Class 3, 79.7-84.6 for Class 2) require a meaningful shift in how practice is structured. This is the first level at which the UIL mandates specific rest ratios.

UIL requirements during Yellow conditions:

• Activity/Rest Guideline: Use discretion for prolonged exercise. Provide at least 3 separate rest breaks EACH hour for a minimum duration of 4 minutes. A rapid cooling zone is mandatory.
• Watch list athletes: Athletes who are overweight, new to heat exposure, recently ill, or on medications that affect heat tolerance require individual monitoring. Yellow is when staff should actively identify and monitor at-risk individuals.
• Equipment: No restriction on equipment at Yellow, but coaches should be thoughtful about full-pad work in high-humidity Yellow conditions — particularly early in the season before athletes are acclimatized.

Football programs often see their most dangerous situations in Yellow conditions, not Red. Yellow carries no equipment restriction, which means full-contact practice can continue — but the 3:1 rest ratio must be enforced, and it must be real rest. Athletes sitting with helmets on in the sun does not constitute a proper rest break.

Yellow Flag — Cross Country and Endurance Sports

For cross country, track, and other endurance sports, Yellow is particularly consequential. An extended continuous effort at Yellow WBGT significantly elevates core temperature. Coaches should structure workouts around the 3:1 ratio, consider shortening total mileage, and avoid placing speed workouts or time trials on Yellow days early in the season.

Yellow Flag — Marching Band

The UIL mandate explicitly covers marching band. Yellow conditions for a two-hour full-band outdoor rehearsal are meaningful — especially for students in full uniform. Band directors should schedule mandatory water breaks at least every 20 minutes during Yellow conditions, designate shade rest areas, and apply the same work-to-rest vigilance required of athletic programs.

Orange Flag — Hard Limits Begin

Orange Flag conditions (87.0-90.0°F for Class 3, 84.7-87.6°F for Class 2) mark the transition into hard rest limits. Two restrictions kick in simultaneously: a two-hour maximum practice duration and equipment restriction.

UIL requirements during Orange conditions:

• Activity/Rest Guideline: 2-hour practice total for all outdoor activities at this site. Provide at least 4 separate breaks EACH hour for a minimum duration of 4 minutes. A rapid cooling zone is mandatory.
• Equipment (football): Helmets, shoulder pads, and shorts- no full pads. This significantly reduces the radiant heat load on athletes' torsos and improves the body's ability to thermoregulate.

Orange is where programs with poor monitoring discipline run into compliance problems. A practice that starts in Yellow can drift into Orange — and once it does, all the Orange restrictions apply retroactively to the current session. Schools must know their current flag level in real time, not in hindsight.

What Counts as Conditioning?

The UIL prohibits conditioning at Orange and above, but 'conditioning' has a specific meaning. It refers to fitness-focused, high-intensity workouts designed to tax cardiovascular and muscular systems: sprints, endurance runs, circuit training, and agility work. Skill practice — route running, pass skeleton, line technique work — that is not conducted at maximum intensity may continue within the time limit. When in doubt, consult your athletic trainer or administration. The standard is not ambiguous: if the primary purpose is physical conditioning, it does not belong in Orange or Red practice.

Red Flag — Minimal Activity, Maximum Caution

Red Flag conditions (90.1-92.0°F for Class 3, 87.7-89.7°F for Class 2) indicate a severely elevated heat-stress environment. The UIL's restrictions at Red are substantial, and for good reason — the risk of exertional heat stroke increases significantly above 87°F WBGT for exercising athletes.

UIL requirements during Red conditions:

• Activity/Rest Guideline: 1 hour total for all outdoor activities. No exceptions. There must be 20 minutes of rest breaks distributed throughout the hour. A rapid cooling zone is mandatory.
• Equipment (football): No helmets, no shoulder pads, no protective equipment of any kind. Athletes practice in shorts and t-shirts.
• No conditioning: Conditioning is prohibited.

The 1:1 work-to-rest ratio at Red effectively means practice is structured as intervals. A football drill set might run for 5 minutes, followed by a 5-minute rest in the shade with hydration. Athletic trainers and coaches must communicate clearly about this — it cannot be a casual guideline applied loosely.

Red Flag and the August Practice Calendar

For programs in Class 3 regions — particularly the Gulf Coast corridor from Beaumont to Corpus Christi, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area during peak August heat, and Central Texas — Red flag conditions during the first weeks of fall practice are not exceptional. They are routine.

Programs in these regions should build their August practice schedules with Red as the expected baseline and plan for it structurally: early-morning start times, indoor walkthroughs during peak heat, weight-room work replacing the second outdoor session, and conditioning shifted to early fall when WBGT drops.

Black Flag — No Outdoor Activity

Black Flag conditions (92.1°F and above for Class 3, 89.8°F and above for Class 2) require that all outdoor activity cease. There is no practice duration, no modified equipment option, and no outdoor activity permitted.

Options at Black Flag:

• Delay: Monitor WBGT and wait for conditions to drop below the Black Flag threshold before resuming. This may mean an evening start time for practice.
• Move indoors: Film review, classroom instruction, weight room work (with appropriate temperature control), chalk talks, and individual skill work in an air-conditioned space are all alternatives.
• Cancel: If conditions will not allow for even a modified outdoor session within the scheduled window, cancellation is the correct choice. No practice outcome is worth the risk of a heat-related fatality.

Black Flag days are relatively rare in most Texas regions — but they do occur, particularly during heat dome events in July and early August. Programs should have a Black Flag protocol in their emergency action plan before the season starts, not improvised the day it happens.

What Happens When Conditions Change Mid-Practice?

This is the scenario that trips up programs without disciplined real-time monitoring. The UIL requires WBGT to be checked every 30 minutes throughout practice — not just at the start.

The escalation rules are straightforward:

• If conditions escalate: The new flag level takes effect immediately. If you were running a Yellow practice and WBGT rises into Orange, you immediately apply Orange restrictions — stop conditioning, enforce a 2:1 rest ratio, and begin the 2-hour countdown if it has not started.
• If conditions improve: You may adjust to the new flag level's restrictions. A practice that begins at Orange and drops into Yellow mid-session can extend beyond 2 hours only if the total time spent under Orange restrictions was within the Orange limit — this is a gray area worth clarifying with your athletic trainer before the season.
• Document the change: Your WBGT log should reflect the time of the reading and the flag level at each check. If conditions change, that shift should appear in your records. This is your compliance documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 2-hour limit at Orange reset if WBGT drops to Yellow?

The UIL guidelines do not explicitly address this scenario. Best practice, recommended by most athletic trainer organizations, is to count all time at or above Orange toward the Orange limit. If you were at Orange for 90 minutes and conditions improve to Yellow, you have used 90 of your 120 Orange minutes. Treat the limit conservatively.

Does the activity chart apply to game days, or only practices?

The UIL chart governs practices and scrimmages. For regular-season and postseason competitions, UIL guidance is to monitor and exercise judgment, but the same WBGT thresholds and cooling zone requirements are strongly recommended. Several districts and regions have adopted policies requiring monitoring at competitions in August and September. Check with your district or region.

Are there specific requirements for cross-country races during high WBGT conditions?

Cross country fall invitational meets scheduled in August and early September often take place during high WBGT conditions. Race directors and hosting programs should monitor WBGT and have cold-water immersion capacity at the finish line. Modifying race distances or rescheduling to early morning is standard practice at WBGT levels above Orange. The UIL's guidance for competitive events does not carry the same hard-and-fast practice restrictions, but the duty of care requires appropriate precautions.

Can we continue practicing if a player shows signs of heat exhaustion?

An athlete showing signs of heat exhaustion — heavy sweating, weakness, nausea, pallor, rapid pulse — must be removed from activity immediately and treated. This is not a flag-level question. Practice can continue for other athletes while the affected individual is evaluated and cooled, but any athlete showing symptoms of heat illness does not return to practice until cleared. Signs of heat stroke — hot, dry skin; confusion; loss of consciousness — require immediate EMS activation. Cool first, then call.

Sources & References

UIL Heat Stress & Athletic Participation Plan: uiltexas.org/health/info/heat-stress-and-athletic-participation

UIL Legislative Council Meeting Results, June 10, 2026: uiltexas.org/press-releases

American College of Sports Medicine — Exertional Heat Illness During Training and Competition

Casa, D.J. et al. — Korey Stringer Institute: Preventing Sudden Death in Sport & Physical Activity

NATA Position Statement — Exertional Heat Illnesses (National Athletic Trainers' Association)