Bowie County rain, outlook and forecast
Most of Bowie County, TX was in exceptional drought (D4) on the Oct 27 U.S. Drought Monitor map; week 8 in a row with some severe drought (D2) or worse. Bowie County has had 14% of its normal rain in the past 30 days and 27% over 90 days; the best rain chance this week is 86% on Tuesday (high 77°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans toward near-normal rain. Bowie County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 4 monthly payments, and Hope is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 50 miles.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 14% of normal
- Last 60 days 15% of normal
- Last 90 days 27% of normal
NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 1, 2026. Source.
Rain outlook
- 6-10 day outlook (Nov 7–11) Leans toward near-normal rain
- 8-14 day outlook (Nov 9–15) Leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain)
NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 1, 2026. Source.
Next 7 days
- Today Mostly Sunny, high 80°, low 61°, 3% rain, wind 5 mph
- Monday Mostly Cloudy, high 83°, low 64°, 80% rain, wind 5–15 mph
- Tuesday Showers And Thunderstorms, high 77°, low 48°, 86% rain, wind 5–15 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 75°, low 44°, 1% rain, wind 0–10 mph
- Thursday Sunny, high 77°, low 45°, 4% rain, wind 0–5 mph
- Friday Sunny, high 74°, low 43°, 2% rain, wind 0–5 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny, high 73°, low 43°, 18% rain, wind 0–5 mph
National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 1, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.
Open loss windows 1 open
| What happened | Started | Tell FSA early by | FSA deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exceptional drought (D4) reached (U.S. Drought Monitor) | Oct 27, 2026 | Nov 26, 2026 (25 days left) | Mar 1, 2027 |
If this cost you livestock, extra feed or hauled water, call your county FSA office now, while it's fresh. The 30-day date is a suggestion from Cownty; FSA's deadline for the notice of loss and application is the March 1 date. Log it in your Drought Ledger · Find your FSA office and phone
Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.
Drought-sale tax flag IRS list
Bowie County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (severe or worse drought, Sep 1, 2025 to Aug 31, 2026).
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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Where it is, with barns within 200 mi
Dots are sale barns USDA reports on. Tap one for its latest prices.
Grass grown on rangeland and pasture
Grass grown in 2025: 3,495 lb per acre, a little above normal (108% of the 1991-2020 average of 3,244).
How to read this
Each bar is one year's grass (darker = perennial grasses, lighter = annuals). The dashed line is the 1991-2020 average. A county average with cropland excluded, not your pasture.
How we got this
Satellite estimate of new above-ground growth of grasses and forbs for the year (annual + perennial, lb/acre), averaged over the county's grassland, pasture and shrubland (37% of the county in USDA's 2025 cropland map; farm fields are left out because the estimate isn't valid there, and the same 2025 map is used for every year). About about 120 m (RAP overview). Source: Rangeland Analysis Platform biomass v3 (data, Jones et al. 2021, CC0) and USDA NASS Cropland Data Layer.
Source: Rangeland Analysis Platform, 2025 season. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
Useful links
Shipping cattle out of Texas
Each state sets its own entry rules for ID, health certificates and screwworm checks. Look up the state you're shipping to before you load.
- InterstateLivestock.com state-by-state entry rules
Source: InterstateLivestock.com (third-party site) · link checked Nov 1, 2026
- APHIS cattle animal disease traceability decision tree (PDF)
Source: USDA APHIS · link checked Nov 1, 2026
Link only. Cownty doesn't copy or check this content; follow the source.
AgriLife events in the High Plains
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension meetings, field days and CEU programs in the Panhandle.
- High Plains events and learning
Source: Texas A&M AgriLife · link checked Nov 1, 2026
Link only. Cownty doesn't copy or check this content; follow the source.
When to pull cattle off wheat
Grazing past first hollow stem cuts grain yield. Oklahoma State's guide explains how to check a field, and its yearly trial reports first-hollow-stem dates by variety.
- Fall forage and first hollow stem dates by wheat variety, 2025–2026
Source: Oklahoma State University Extension · link last confirmed Oct 17, 2026 (site blocks automated checks)
- First hollow stem: a critical wheat growth stage (how to check)
Source: Oklahoma State University Extension · link last confirmed Oct 17, 2026 (site blocks automated checks)
Link only. Cownty doesn't copy or check this content; follow the source.
Common questions and nearby counties
Is Bowie County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Yes. Bowie County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 4 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 Bowie County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Bowie County was in exceptional drought (D4), and the worst part was exceptional drought (D4) on 82% of the county. 8 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.
Is there a burn ban in Bowie County?
Yes, a burn ban is in effect for Bowie County (since Aug 17, 2026). Check with the county before burning.
What sale barns are near Bowie County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Hope (50 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; McAlester (128 mi), last report Oct 27, 2026; Ratcliff (132 mi), last report Oct 28, 2026.
Source: USDA AMS Market News reports
What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?
Next: Nov 13, 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.