Bourbon County rain, outlook and forecast
Most of Bourbon County, KS was abnormally dry (D0) on the Oct 27 U.S. Drought Monitor map, with a sliver (<1%) at moderate drought (D1); four weeks earlier 70% of the county was in moderate drought (D1) or worse, now 1%. Rain has run 114% of normal over the last 30 days (near normal) and 109% over 90 days; the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain) and the NWS forecast peaks at a 90% rain chance on today (high 76°). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Bourbon County with up to 2 monthly payments, and Exeter is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 96 miles.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 114% of normal
- Last 60 days 151% of normal
- Last 90 days 109% of normal
NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 2, 2026. Source.
Rain outlook
- 6-10 day outlook (Nov 7–11) Leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain)
- 8-14 day outlook (Nov 9–15) Leans toward near-normal rain
NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 1, 2026. Source.
Next 7 days
- Today Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms, high 76°, low 60°, 90% rain, wind 14–23 mph
- Tuesday Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms, high 68°, low 46°, 36% rain, wind 7–16 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 65°, low 42°, 1% rain, wind 2–14 mph
- Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 65°, low 40°, 12% rain, wind 2–8 mph
- Friday Sunny, high 63°, low 39°, 3% rain, wind 3–6 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny, high 66°, low 41°, 9% rain, wind 1–8 mph
- Sunday Sunny, high 61°, low 40°, 15% rain, wind 5–16 mph
National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 2, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.
PRF pasture insurance: sign up by Dec 1, 2026
The 2027 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) insurance sales closing date for Bourbon County is Dec 1, 2026, 29 days from today. PRF (Rainfall Index) pays on a rainfall index for your grid, not on your own rain gauge. You buy it through a crop insurance agent.
How PRF works · PRF 2027 sign-up · Find your grid on RMA's PRF tool
Date from USDA RMA's actuarial data, read Aug 28, 2026 · RMA dates map. Your agent confirms the date for your policy.
Bourbon County grass production
In 2025, grassland and pasture in Bourbon County grew about 2,822 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 93% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 3,029 pounds per acre. That was the 14th lowest of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 3,720 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,808.
Pounds per acre of new grass and forbs each year on rangeland and pasture, from the Rangeland Analysis Platform (satellite-based estimates). See every year on the Land tab.
Open loss windows
No open loss windows in Bourbon County right now. A 30-day window opens when the county first hits severe drought (D2), jumps to D3 or D4, or after a blizzard, extreme heat or cold, flood or ice warning, a wildfire, or a USDA disaster designation. Keep a Drought Ledger.
Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.
Drought-sale tax flag IRS list
A county next to Bourbon County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (Crawford County, KS, Neosho County, KS). The IRS counts your county plus every county touching it.
Why it matters: if you sold breeding, dairy or draft livestock because of drought, the tax code may let you put off the gain (more time to buy replacement animals, or report the extra-sale income a year later). Your tax preparer decides whether either applies.
Work out your numbers and print a page for your preparer
Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. Ask your tax preparer. FSA decides program eligibility. IRS Notice 2026-54 (PDF)
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Weather for Bourbon County
Forecast for the center point of Bourbon County.
- Today Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms 76° 60° S 14–23 mph 90% rain
- Tue Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms 68° 46° SW 7–16 mph 36% rain
- Wed Sunny 65° 42° W 2–14 mph 1% rain
- Thu Mostly Sunny 65° 40° NW 2–8 mph 12% rain
- Fri Sunny 63° 39° N 3–6 mph 3% rain
- Sat Mostly Sunny 66° 41° SW 1–8 mph 9% rain
- Sun Sunny 61° 40° NW 5–16 mph 15% rain
Forecast from the National Weather Service, updated Nov 2, 2026. Wind arrows point where the wind is going; the letters say where it comes from. Windy = 25 mph or more; freeze = a low of 32°F or less. Open the full forecast.
Burn ban
Bourbon County burning rules: Call emergency management prior to burning at: 620-223-3800 x124. Do not burn during a code red event.
From the county burning information page on the KDHE Flint Hills Smoke Management site (source), as of Nov 2, 2026. That page says it may be incomplete; call the county before burning.
No official ban list to check here, so Cownty shows the National Weather Service fire-weather alerts for the county instead: none right now. State fire-restrictions page.
Weather warnings right now
None right now
National Weather Service active alerts for this county, as of Nov 2, 2026 (source). Fetched Nov 2, 2026.
Rainfall vs normal
How to read this
Bars are the rain that fell each month; the dashed line is a normal month (1991-2020 average). Bars below the line = drier than normal.
County-average precipitation, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026. Normal = NCEI's own 1991-2020 average for each month (Sep 2026 normal 4.43 in; same month last year 2.01 in). NCEI posts each month around the 8th of the next and may revise recent months. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance. Fetched Nov 2, 2026.
Wildfires
No current fire perimeter in the county
No current perimeter within 100 mi of the county center (82 mapped nationally).
Interagency fire outlines. Small or brand-new fires are often not mapped yet; call 911 for a fire you can see. Layer updated Nov 2, 2026. Source: National Interagency Fire Center. Fetched Nov 2, 2026.
Frost dates
Frost and freeze dates
30-year averages (1991–2020) from the weather stations nearest Bourbon County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.
Ft Scott weather station (9 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 204-day growing season |
Apr 5 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 22 |
Oct 28 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 14 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 226-day growing season |
Mar 27 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 9 |
Nov 6 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 23 |
Girard weather station (24 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 209-day growing season |
Apr 4 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 21 |
Nov 1 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 17 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 229-day growing season |
Mar 26 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 9 |
Nov 9 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 27 |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Ft Scott, Girard), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Oct 18, 2026.
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Common questions and nearby counties
Is Bourbon County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Yes. Bourbon County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 2 monthly payments for some pasture types. FSA decides each operation's eligibility; apply at your county FSA office by March 1 after the loss year.
What is the drought level in Bourbon County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Bourbon County was in abnormally dry (D0), and the worst part was moderate drought (D1) on a sliver (<1%) of the county. 0 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.
Is there a burn ban in Bourbon County?
No official statewide list to check: Kansas has no statewide official burn-ban list; county commissions set bans and announce them locally (county emergency management or sheriff).
What sale barns are near Bourbon County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Exeter (96 mi), last report Oct 27, 2026; Siloam Springs (117 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Tulsa (133 mi), last report Oct 26, 2026.
Source: USDA AMS Market News reports
What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?
Next: Nov 20, 2026: Apply for NRCS conservation cost-share (EQIP, CSP, ACEP) to be considered for 2027 money; Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 2027: last day to buy crop insurance. FSA program dates not posted officially are marked "confirm at source" on the calendar.
Source: official agency pages (see Calendar)
Information only; not financial or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Always check the linked official source.