Rio Arriba County rain, outlook and forecast
On the Oct 27 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Rio Arriba County, NM was in moderate drought (D1), with a sliver (<1%) at severe drought (D2); week 92 in a row with some severe drought (D2) or worse. Rain has run 417% of normal over the last 30 days (well above normal) and 272% over 90 days, so the past month has been wetter than the season so far; the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 6–10 leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain) and today carries the week's highest rain chance at 100% (high 56°). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Rio Arriba County with up to 5 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Belen, 121 miles away.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 417% of normal
- Last 60 days 434% of normal
- Last 90 days 272% 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 6–10) Leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)
- 8-14 day outlook (Nov 8–14) Leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)
NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Oct 31, 2026. Source.
Next 7 days
- Today Showers And Thunderstorms, high 56°, low 34°, 100% rain, wind 5–20 mph
- Monday Rain And Snow Showers Likely then Mostly Cloudy, high 47°, low 29°, 71% rain, wind 0–20 mph
- Tuesday Mostly Sunny, high 55°, low 29°, 1% rain, wind 0 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 56°, low 29°, 14% rain, wind 0–10 mph
- Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 28°, 6% rain, wind 0–5 mph
- Friday Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 29°, 13% rain, wind 0–5 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny, high 52°, low 26°, 13% 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 1 open
| What happened | Started | Tell FSA early by | FSA deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood Warning (National Weather Service) | Nov 1, 2026 | Dec 1, 2026 (30 days left) | Mar 1, 2027 |
If this cost you livestock, extra feed or hauled water, call your county FSA office now, while it's fresh. The 30-day date is a suggestion from Cownty; FSA's deadline for the notice of loss and application is the March 1 date. Log it in your Drought Ledger · Find your FSA office and phone
Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.
Drought-sale tax flag IRS list
Rio Arriba 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.
| Barn | Last sale | 5-wt steers |
|---|---|---|
| Belen 121 mi | Oct 30 | $375 |
| La Junta LJLC 195 mi | Oct 28 | $406 |
How to read this
Each line is one barn's head-weighted average for 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) in that week; gaps are weeks with no sale or no lots that size. Past sales, not a bid.
Dollars per hundredweight ($/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 2 nearest barns
Loading drought…
Loading programs…
Loading weather & fire…
Loading money…
Loading deadlines…
Loading land…
Common questions and nearby counties
Is Rio Arriba County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Yes. Rio Arriba County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 5 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 Rio Arriba County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Rio Arriba County was in moderate drought (D1), and the worst part was severe drought (D2) on a sliver (<1%) of the county. 92 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.
Is there a burn ban in Rio Arriba County?
No burn ban is listed for Rio Arriba County. Check with the county before burning.
What sale barns are near Rio Arriba County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Belen (121 mi), last report Oct 30, 2026; La Junta LJLC (195 mi), last report Oct 28, 2026.
Source: USDA AMS Market News reports
What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?
Next: Nov 10, 2026: First half of property taxes due to the county treasurer; Nov 20, 2026: Apples 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.