Extreme temperatures are forcing high schools across southeastern Arkansas to adjust their football plans this week.
Most games will start later than originally planned to reduce the dangers of the heat. White Hall’s home opener against Sheridan has been rescheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, as have games between Stuttgart and Warren, Fordyce and Monticello, Star City and Bauxite, Crossett and Glen Rose, DeWitt and Barton and Drew Central and Bearden.
Hamburg’s home game with Ashdown will now start at 7:30, as will Lake Village Lakeside’s road game at West Bolivar, Miss. Plans may remain subject to change, so check with local schools throughout the week for the latest information.
As of Monday afternoon, according to The Weather Channel, the high in Pine Bluff on Friday will be 104 degrees with a low of 79. The high exceeds 100 degrees every day this week. The highs are forecast to be in the 90s next week.
Friday’s high in Texarkana, where Watson Chapel is set to play Arkansas High School, will be 106 with a low of 79. The high will be 103 with a low of 76 in Grenada, Miss., where Pine Bluff is traveling.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Friday’s games aren’t the only events being affected. Some schools may be forced to reschedule practices throughout the week because of the heat.
Since 2019, the Arkansas Activities Association has used the Wet Bulb Globe Thermometer [WBGT] to measure the safety of outdoor practices. WBGT accounts for not only the temperature, but also humidity, wind and solar radiation. Schools are required to monitor WBGT and adjust practices accordingly to prevent heat stroke and other heat-related dangers.
If the WBGT reading is under 82.0, practice may be held normally. As the WBGT increases, the amount of allowed practice time decreases while mandatory rest times increase. If the WBGT exceeds 92.0, no outdoor workouts may be held.
Friday’s games were previously scheduled for 7 p.m. At that time Monday evening, the National Weather Service estimated the WBGT in Pine Bluff to be 86. The temperature was 97 degrees, per The Weather Channel. By 8 p.m., the WBGT was down to 82 with a temperature of 94.
The AAA website, ahsaa.org, has more information about its WBGT policies under the Sports Medicine tab. It also provides a link to a National Weather Service page with more details about WBGT.
Beyond football, other outdoor sporting events such as tennis and golf have also been affected, with some events canceled or postponed. Check with local schools for the latest information.