Mitchell County rain, outlook and forecast
As of the Oct 27 Drought Monitor, most of Mitchell County, KS showed no drought; four weeks earlier 70% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 0%. Rain has run 68% of normal over the last 30 days (below normal) and 184% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier 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 68% on Tuesday (high 55°). FSA has not added Mitchell County to its 2026 LFP list, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Salina, 51 miles away.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 68% of normal
- Last 60 days 244% of normal
- Last 90 days 184% 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 Slight Chance Light Rain, high 66°, low 60°, 58% rain, wind 15–25 mph
- Monday Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance T-storms, high 77°, low 50°, 65% rain, wind 10–25 mph
- Tuesday Light Rain Likely, high 55°, low 41°, 68% rain, wind 10–25 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 59°, low 40°, 5% rain, wind 5–10 mph
- Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 56°, low 38°, 10% rain, wind 5–10 mph
- Friday Mostly Sunny, high 59°, low 41°, 3% rain, wind 0–5 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain, high 62°, low 43°, 18% rain, wind 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 Mitchell 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
A county next to Mitchell County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (Lincoln County, KS, Osborne County, KS). The IRS counts your county plus every county touching it.
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.
| Barn | Last sale | 5-wt steers |
|---|---|---|
| Salina 51 mi | Oct 29 | $423 |
| Pratt 123 mi | Oct 29 | $452 |
| Dodge City 149 mi | Oct 28 | $391 |
How to read this
Each line is one barn's head-weighted average for 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) in that week; gaps are weeks with no sale or no lots that size. Past sales, not a bid.
Dollars per hundredweight ($/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
All weights at the 3 nearest barns
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Common questions and nearby counties
Is Mitchell County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Not on FSA's 2026 LFP county list as of Oct 29, 2026. FSA updates the list as drought changes.
What is the drought level in Mitchell County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Mitchell County was in no drought, and the worst part was no drought on 0% of the county. 0 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.
Is there a burn ban in Mitchell 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 Mitchell County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Salina (51 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Pratt (123 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Dodge City (149 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.