Harper County rain, outlook and forecast
Most of Harper County, KS was in moderate drought (D1) on the Oct 27 U.S. Drought Monitor map, with 8% at severe drought (D2), and D2-or-worse drought has held there 10 weeks running. Rain has run 151% of normal over the last 30 days (well above normal) and 110% over 90 days, so the past month has been wetter than the season so far; the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans toward near-normal rain and the best rain chance this week is 69% on Monday (high 76°). Harper County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 2 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Pratt, 46 miles away.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 151% of normal
- Last 60 days 151% of normal
- Last 90 days 110% 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 toward near-normal rain
NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 1, 2026. Source.
Next 7 days
- Today Mostly Cloudy, high 71°, low 64°, 33% rain, wind 10–18 mph
- Monday Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, high 76°, low 52°, 69% rain, wind 7–23 mph
- Tuesday Partly Sunny, high 65°, low 44°, 10% rain, wind 5–20 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 67°, low 43°, 27% rain, wind 5–8 mph
- Thursday Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, high 63°, low 41°, 24% rain, wind 5–10 mph
- Friday Sunny, high 64°, low 42°, 2% rain, wind 2–5 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 67°, low 45°, 22% rain, wind 2–6 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 Harper 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
Harper 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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Weather for Harper County
Forecast for the center point of Harper County.
- Today Mostly Cloudy 71° 64° SSE 10–18 mph 33% rain
- Mon Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 76° 52° S 7–23 mph 69% rain
- Tue Partly Sunny 65° 44° NW 5–20 mph 10% rain
- Wed Sunny 67° 43° WNW 5–8 mph 27% rain
- Thu Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny 63° 41° N 5–10 mph 24% rain
- Fri Sunny 64° 42° N 2–5 mph 2% rain
- Sat Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers 67° 45° WNW 2–6 mph 22% 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
Harper County burning rules: Burn Resolution
From the county burning information page on the KDHE Flint Hills Smoke Management site (source), as of Nov 1, 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 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 2.47 in; same month last year 4.88 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
Nearest current perimeter: RX BUFFALO WOMAN (Prescribed fire, OK), about 96 mi from the county center; 40 acres, containment not reported, perimeter of Oct 28, 2026.
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 Harper County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.
Anthony weather station (3 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 205-day growing season |
Apr 9 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 23 |
Oct 30 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 17 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 223-day growing season |
Mar 31 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 15 |
Nov 7 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 25 |
Norwich weather station (22 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 201-day growing season |
Apr 12 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 25 |
Oct 29 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 16 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 217-day growing season |
Apr 2 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 18 |
Nov 7 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 24 |
short record Based on only 12 years of records here (30 is normal), so treat it as rougher.
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Anthony, Norwich), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Oct 18, 2026.
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Common questions and nearby counties
Is Harper County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Yes. Harper 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 Harper County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Harper County was in moderate drought (D1), and the worst part was severe drought (D2) on 8% of the county. 10 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.
Is there a burn ban in Harper 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 Harper County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Pratt (46 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Woodward (89 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Dodge City (113 mi), last report Oct 28, 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.