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Madison County, MT

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

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Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Billings MT (BLC) 5-wt steers $408per cwt

Madison County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Madison County, MT showed no drought on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, though 11% at abnormally dry (D0); 11% of the county is abnormally dry (D0) or worse, the same as four weeks earlier. Rain has run 160% of normal over the last 30 days (well above normal); the NWS forecast peaks at a 92% rain chance on Tuesday (high 37°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Madison County with up to 4 monthly payments, and Billings MT (BLC) is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 166 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 160% 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 toward near-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 41°, low 32°, 0% rain, wind 7–17 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Cloudy, high 44°, low 34°, 46% rain, wind 5–13 mph
  3. Tuesday Light Snow, high 37°, low 26°, 92% rain, wind 7 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 31°, low 24°, 30% rain, wind 5–10 mph
  5. Thursday Chance Light Snow, high 33°, low 25°, 51% rain, wind 5–6 mph
  6. Friday Chance Light Snow, high 30°, low 22°, 51% rain, wind 3–7 mph
  7. Saturday Partly Sunny, high 31°, low 21°, 13% rain, wind 6–7 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 Madison 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.

Madison County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Madison County grew about 906 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 118% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 765 pounds per acre. That was the 3rd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2023 at 931 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 536.

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 Madison 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

Madison 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)

5-wt steers, nearest barns

Steers 500–599 lb, $/cwt, weekly average.

BarnLast sale5-wt steers
Billings MT (BLC) 166 miNov 9$408
Billings MT (PAYS) 166 miNov 11–
How to read this

Each line is one barn's head-weighted average for 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) in that week; gaps are weeks with no sale or no lots that size. Past sales, not a bid.

Dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt, per 100 lb), calculated from USDA AMS Market News sale reports (Medium & Large 1 and 1-2). Not a USDA-published average. ≈ $/head = $/cwt × the middle of the weight class ÷ 100.

Guide: How to read a USDA sale barn report

Price history · Barn map · Fed vs feeder cattle

All weights at the 2 nearest barns

Billings MT (BLC) 166 mi

Billings, MT
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb57422.51$1,900
Heifers 500-599 lb96360.80$1,980
Heifers 600-699 lb12315.08$2,050
Steers 400-499 lb56462.95$2,080
Steers 500-599 lb46408.25$2,250
Steers 600-699 lb5319.00$2,070

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Billings MT (PAYS) 166 mi

Billings, MT
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Text me Madison County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Billings Livestock Commission Billings, MT 166 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  2. Public Auction Yards Billings, MT 166 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. Winter Livestock Auction Riverton, WY 236 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 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 Montana

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Madison County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Madison County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 4 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 Madison County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Madison County was in no drought, and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on 11% 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 Madison County?

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

What sale barns are near Madison County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Billings MT (BLC) (166 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Billings MT (PAYS) (166 mi), last report Nov 11, 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.