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Costilla County, CO

No sale barn with a published report is within 100 miles of Costilla County, Colorado. This page still has drought, programs and weather for the county when those are loaded.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: Costilla County is on FSA's list (since Sep 1, 2026). Check with your FSA county office first. Details · FSA list as of Nov 5, 2026.
Drought Abnormally dryD0 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 5 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county La Junta LJLC 5-wt steers $398▲ $19 since last sale

Costilla County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Costilla County, CO abnormally dry (D0), with 14% at moderate drought (D1); 14% of the county is in moderate drought (D1) or worse, down from 100% four weeks earlier. Over 90 days rain is at 352% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 693% (well above normal); Tuesday carries the week's highest rain chance at 65% (high 51°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (50% chance of above-normal rain). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Costilla County with up to 5 monthly payments, and La Junta LJLC is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 109 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 693% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days 352% of normal

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 (50% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)

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

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 46°, low 28°, 0% rain, wind 5 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 50°, low 29°, 0% rain, wind 5–10 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 51°, low 32°, 65% rain, wind 10–30 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 47°, low 26°, 14% rain, wind 10–30 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 51°, low 32°, 23% rain, wind 10–30 mph
  6. Friday Chance Rain And Snow Showers, high 49°, low 25°, 38% rain, wind 15–35 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 44°, low 23°, 8% rain, wind 5–15 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 Costilla 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.

Costilla County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Costilla County grew about 360 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 97% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 371 pounds per acre. That was the 16th lowest of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2022 at 462 pounds per acre; worst: 2011 at 244.

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 Costilla 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

Costilla 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)

Drought, past 12 months

0% of the county in severe drought or worse.

How to read this

Each band is how much of the county was in that drought level that week. Darker = worse. D2 (severe) and darker can trigger USDA drought pay.

Right now: 0% of the county is in severe drought or worse; some of it has been for 0 weeks running. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026.

Guide: What D0–D4 mean

See the drought map

Text me Costilla County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. La Junta Livestock Commission La Junta, CO 109 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  2. Winter Livestock (Tuesday) La Junta, CO 115 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  3. Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Dalhart, TX 180 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  4. Cattlemen's Livestock Belen, NM 190 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  5. Livestock Exchange (Friday feeder cattle) Brush, CO 228 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 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 Colorado

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Costilla County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Costilla County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 5 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.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Costilla County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Costilla County was in abnormally dry (D0), and the worst part was moderate drought (D1) on 14% 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 Costilla County?

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

What sale barns are near Costilla County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: La Junta LJLC (109 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; La Junta Winter (115 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Dalhart (180 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Colorado EQIP/CSP/RCPP/ACEP application ranking cutoff (FY 2027); 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.