Elk County rain, outlook and forecast
Most of Elk County, KS was abnormally dry (D0) on the Oct 27 U.S. Drought Monitor map, with a sliver (<1%) at moderate drought (D1); 1% of the county is in moderate drought (D1) or worse, down from 100% four weeks earlier. Rain has run 64% of normal over the last 30 days (below normal) and 78% over 90 days; the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans toward near-normal rain and today carries the week's highest rain chance at 82% (high 76°). Elk County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 2 monthly payments, and Tulsa is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 94 miles.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 64% of normal
- Last 60 days 101% of normal
- Last 90 days 78% 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 toward near-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 Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, high 76°, low 56°, 82% rain, wind 12–26 mph
- Tuesday Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny, high 68°, low 46°, 17% rain, wind 5–18 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 68°, low 44°, 4% rain, wind 5–9 mph
- Thursday Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, high 66°, low 42°, 15% rain, wind 3–7 mph
- Friday Sunny, high 66°, low 42°, 3% rain, wind 3–5 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny, high 69°, low 44°, 15% rain, wind 2–8 mph
- Sunday Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 64°, low 42°, 15% rain, wind 3–15 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 Elk 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.
Elk County grass production
In 2025, grassland and pasture in Elk County grew about 2,936 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 97% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 3,015 pounds per acre. That was the 20th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 3,619 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,430.
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 Elk 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
Elk 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)
Loading prices…
Loading drought…
Loading programs…
Weather for Elk County
Forecast for the center point of Elk County.
- Windy on 1 day
- Today Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 76° 56° S 12–26 mph 82% rain
- Tue Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny 68° 46° WNW 5–18 mph 17% rain
- Wed Sunny 68° 44° W 5–9 mph 4% rain
- Thu Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny 66° 42° NNW 3–7 mph 15% rain
- Fri Sunny 66° 42° N 3–5 mph 3% rain
- Sat Mostly Sunny 69° 44° WSW 2–8 mph 15% rain
- Sun Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers 64° 42° NW 3–15 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
Elk County burning rules: Rural Fire Public Notice · Burn Regulations
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 3.65 in; same month last year 3.79 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 Elk County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.
Howard weather station (2 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 186-day growing season |
Apr 17 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 30 |
Oct 22 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 6 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 206-day growing season |
Apr 4 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 22 |
Nov 1 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 16 |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Howard), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Oct 18, 2026.
Loading money…
Loading deadlines…
Loading land…
Common questions and nearby counties
Is Elk County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Yes. Elk 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 Elk County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Elk 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 Elk 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 Elk County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Tulsa (94 mi), last report Oct 26, 2026; Salina (120 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Siloam Springs (129 mi), last report Oct 29, 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.