Weather Update for Texas Longhorns Open Practice & Fan Day

The Texas Longhorns are set to close out the spring practice program on Saturday with a Fan Day that will include an open practice. The event is free for fans to attend and will give them a chance to get a first look at what the 2026 team looks like.

However, weather could be impacting the Austin area on Saturday morning, potentially impacting attendance for the open practice, which begins at 11 a.m. CT, and bringing into question whether it will even happen or not. There are also events for the fans both before and after the practice.

The Texas football program has not said if the event is "rain or shine," but the team has cancelled spring games in the past due to weather so that possibility can't be ruled out.

What Weather Looks Like in Austin on Saturday

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian pauses during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

According to The Weather Channel's official website, the Austin area has a 62 percent chance of rain during the day on Saturday. It's possible that most of the rain could fall later in the afternoon and the evening once the festivities at DKR are already over, but it's certainly something to keep eyes on.

"Showers early then scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day," the Weather Channel writes. "Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 72F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph."

It's hard to imagine that some light rain will stop the passionate Texas fans from just throwing on a poncho and coming to the open practice anyways, but the presence of potential lightning will create a safety issue and would likely force the players, coaches and fans to exit the field and stadium.

With the way the program set up the schedule for the day, it's possible all of this could be a moot point. Let's hope the lightning waits until later in the afternoon and evening.

Here is the full schedule for Saturday, per the team:

Don't miss Fan Day on the Forty 🤘

Saturday April 18 | DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium

🔗 https://t.co/SkyeWQmuIh pic.twitter.com/r6AEk4VXbE
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 16, 2026

If the open practice does end up happening, the Longhorns already have a plan for what the action will look like, at least according to head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Sarkisian recently told the media that the team plans to run about 70-75 plays, some of which will include starters vs. starters.

"We'll probably go about 70, 75 plays or so," Sarkisian said. "Of those 70-75 plays, I'd venture to guess between 45 to 50 of those will be live. Part of that will be a thud tempo, because when we go to live, I take some of these guys out so that they don't get some of those nicked-up injuries. And I need to see more of our younger players play live football too. So it'll be a bit of a balancing act that way. But hopefully we get around 75 plays. We'll go ones-on-ones."

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