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Cole County, MO

Cattle prices near Cole County, Missouri. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Vienna MO in Vienna, MO, about 28 miles away. On Nov 11, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $429.15 per hundredweight on 146 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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Drought Abnormally dryD0 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 1 payment Burn ban Checkcall the county Vienna MO 5-wt steers $429▼ $14 since last sale

Cole County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Cole County, MO was abnormally dry (D0), with 15% at moderate drought (D1); four weeks earlier 0% of the county was in moderate drought (D1) or worse, now 15%. Rain has run 12% of normal over the last 30 days (well below normal); Saturday carries the week's highest rain chance at 40% (high 69°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (40% chance of above-normal rain). Cole County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 1 monthly payment, and Vienna MO is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 28 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 12% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days not read yet

NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 15, 2026. Source.

Rain outlook

  • 6-10 day outlook (Nov 20–24) Leans wetter than normal (40% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans toward near-normal rain

NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 14, 2026. Source.

Next 7 days

  1. Today Mostly Sunny, high 53°, low 28°, 0% rain, wind 3 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 57°, low 33°, 0% rain, wind 1–6 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 60°, low 39°, 0% rain, wind 2–7 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 64°, low 50°, 12% rain, wind 3–9 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 67°, low 51°, 8% rain, wind 2–6 mph
  6. Friday Partly Sunny, high 70°, low 54°, 6% rain, wind 2–7 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Light Rain, high 69°, low 42°, 40% rain, wind 6–10 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 15, 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 Cole County is Dec 1, 2026, 16 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.

Cole County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Cole County grew about 3,009 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 99% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 3,027 pounds per acre. That was the 19th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 3,611 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 681.

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 Cole 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

Cole 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)

Next 7 days · National Weather Service

Weather for Cole County

Forecast for the center point of Cole County.

  • Freeze on 1 night
  1. Today Mostly Sunny 53° 28° E 3 mph 0% rain
  2. Mon Sunny 57° 33° S 1–6 mph 0% rain
  3. Tue Sunny 60° 39° S 2–7 mph 0% rain
  4. Wed Mostly Sunny 64° 50° S 3–9 mph 12% rain
  5. Thu Mostly Sunny 67° 51° SW 2–6 mph 8% rain
  6. Fri Partly Sunny 70° 54° S 2–7 mph 6% rain
  7. Sat Chance Light Rain 69° 42° SW 6–10 mph 40% rain

Forecast from the National Weather Service, updated Nov 15, 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

Data pending. Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for Missouri; county commissions, sheriffs and fire districts post local fire restrictions, so check your county's own notices

No official ban list to check here, so Cownty shows the National Weather Service fire-weather alerts for the county instead: none right now.

Guide: Burn bans: where to check and what they mean

Weather warnings right now

None right now

National Weather Service active alerts for this county, as of Nov 15, 2026 (source). Fetched Nov 15, 2026.

Rainfall vs normal

Oct 2026
2.34 in 66% of normal
Last 12 months
39.25 in 92%
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, Nov 2025 to Oct 2026. Normal = NCEI's own 1991-2020 average for each month (Oct 2026 normal 3.55 in; same month last year 2.81 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 14, 2026.

Wildfires

No current fire perimeter in the county

No current perimeter within 100 mi of the county center (48 mapped nationally).

See the fire map

Interagency fire outlines. Small or brand-new fires are often not mapped yet; call 911 for a fire you can see. Layer updated Nov 15, 2026. Source: National Interagency Fire Center. Fetched Nov 15, 2026.

Frost dates

Frost and freeze dates

30-year averages (1991–2020) from the weather stations nearest Cole County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.

Jefferson City Wtp weather station (8 mi away)

Typical last spring frostTypical first fall frost
Frost (32°F)
205-day growing season
 Apr 8
1 year in 10 it's after Apr 23
 Oct 31
1 year in 10 it's before Oct 17
Hard freeze (28°F)
225-day growing season
 Mar 28
1 year in 10 it's after Apr 13
 Nov 8
1 year in 10 it's before Oct 28

Jefferson City Mem Ap weather station (9 mi away)

Typical last spring frostTypical first fall frost
Frost (32°F)
198-day growing season
 Apr 10
1 year in 10 it's after Apr 25
 Oct 26
1 year in 10 it's before Oct 13
Hard freeze (28°F)
220-day growing season
 Mar 31
1 year in 10 it's after Apr 15
 Nov 4
1 year in 10 it's before Oct 23

Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Jefferson City Wtp, Jefferson City Mem Ap), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Nov 11, 2026.

Text me Cole County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. South Central Regional Stockyards Vienna, MO 28 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  2. Callaway Livestock Center Kingdom City, MO 36 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  3. Interstate Regional Stockyards, Inc. Cuba, MO 56 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  4. Windsor Livestock Auction Windsor, MO 67 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. Mid Missouri Stockyards Phillipsburg, MO 71 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026

Miles are straight-line from the county center. Sale days come from the barns' recent USDA AMS reports; call the barn to confirm. All barns

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Hay prices in Missouri

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Cole County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Cole County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 1 monthly payment for some pasture types. FSA decides each operation's eligibility; apply at your county FSA office by March 1 after the loss year.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Cole County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Cole County was in abnormally dry (D0), and the worst part was moderate drought (D1) on 15% of the county. 0 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026

Is there a burn ban in Cole County?

No official statewide list to check: Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for Missouri; county commissions, sheriffs and fire districts post local fire restrictions, so check your county's own notices.

What sale barns are near Cole County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Vienna MO (28 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; Kingdom City MO (36 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Cuba MO (56 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; Nov 20, 2026: Whole Farm Revenue Protection 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.