Gaines County rain, outlook and forecast
As of the Oct 27 Drought Monitor, most of Gaines County, TX was abnormally dry (D0), with 40% at moderate drought (D1); 40% of the county is in moderate drought (D1) or worse, down from 100% four weeks earlier. Over 90 days rain is at 100% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 234% (well above normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain) and no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 17% rain chance. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Gaines County with up to 2 monthly payments, and Roswell is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 118 miles.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 234% of normal
- Last 60 days 122% of normal
- Last 90 days 100% 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 wetter than normal (33% chance of above-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 Mostly Cloudy, high 75°, low 60°, 17% rain, wind 10–15 mph
- Monday Patchy Fog then Sunny, high 76°, low 50°, 1% rain, wind 10–25 mph
- Tuesday Sunny, high 68°, low 45°, 0% rain, wind 5–15 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 72°, low 48°, 0% rain, wind 0–10 mph
- Thursday Sunny, high 69°, low 42°, 1% rain, wind 0–10 mph
- Friday Mostly Sunny, high 65°, low 44°, 11% rain, wind 0 mph
- Saturday Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, high 66°, low 44°, 15% 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
No open loss windows in Gaines 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
Gaines 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 Gaines County
Forecast for the center point of Gaines County.
- Windy on 1 day
- Today Mostly Cloudy 75° 60° S 10–15 mph 17% rain
- Mon Patchy Fog then Sunny 76° 50° SW 10–25 mph 1% rain
- Tue Sunny 68° 45° NW 5–15 mph 0% rain
- Wed Sunny 72° 48° S 0–10 mph 0% rain
- Thu Sunny 69° 42° N 0–10 mph 1% rain
- Fri Mostly Sunny 65° 44° 0 mph 11% rain
- Sat Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny 66° 44° N 0–5 mph 15% rain
Forecast from the National Weather Service, updated Nov 1, 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
No burn ban
Texas A&M Forest Service map (source), as of Nov 1, 2026. County judges set bans; check with the county before burning. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
Weather warnings right now
None right now
National Weather Service active alerts for this county, as of Nov 1, 2026 (source). Fetched Nov 1, 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 2.50 in; same month last year 1.32 in). NCEI posts each month around the 8th of the next and may revise recent months. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance. Fetched Oct 30, 2026.
Wildfires
No current fire perimeter in the county
No current perimeter within 100 mi of the county center (83 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 1, 2026. Source: National Interagency Fire Center. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
Frost dates
Frost and freeze dates
30-year averages (1991–2020) from the weather stations nearest Gaines County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.
Seminole weather station (3 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 219-day growing season |
Apr 2 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 20 |
Nov 6 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 25 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 242-day growing season |
Mar 17 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 4 |
Nov 16 1 year in 10 it's before Nov 1 |
Denver City weather station (19 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 209-day growing season |
Apr 7 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 23 |
Nov 4 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 19 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 232-day growing season |
Mar 24 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 12 |
Nov 13 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 30 |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Seminole, Denver City), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Oct 18, 2026.
Loading money…
Loading deadlines…
Loading land…
Common questions and nearby counties
Is Gaines County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Yes. Gaines 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 Gaines County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Gaines County was in abnormally dry (D0), and the worst part was moderate drought (D1) on 40% of the county. 0 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.
Is there a burn ban in Gaines County?
No burn ban is listed for Gaines County. Check with the county before burning.
What sale barns are near Gaines County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Roswell (118 mi), last report Oct 26, 2026; Clovis (119 mi), last report Oct 28, 2026; Tulia (133 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026.
Source: USDA AMS Market News reports
What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?
Next: Nov 1, 2026: Grapevine 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; Nov 13, 2026: Apply for NRCS conservation cost-share (EQIP, CSP, ACEP) to be considered for 2027 money. 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.