Rooks County rain, outlook and forecast
Most of Rooks County, KS showed no drought on the Oct 27 U.S. Drought Monitor map; four weeks earlier 85% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 0%. Rain has run 104% of normal over the last 30 days (near normal) and 152% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; the NWS forecast peaks at a 68% rain chance on today (high 66°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans toward near-normal rain. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Rooks County with up to 2 monthly payments, and Salina is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 99 miles.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 104% of normal
- Last 60 days 194% of normal
- Last 90 days 152% 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 Chance Light Rain, high 66°, low 59°, 68% rain, wind 15–30 mph
- Monday Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance T-storms, high 75°, low 46°, 45% rain, wind 15–25 mph
- Tuesday Chance Light Rain then Partly Sunny, high 53°, low 37°, 44% rain, wind 10–25 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 57°, low 37°, 8% rain, wind 5–10 mph
- Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 35°, 11% rain, wind 0–10 mph
- Friday Mostly Sunny, high 58°, low 39°, 4% rain, wind 0–5 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain, high 60°, low 40°, 19% rain, wind 5 mph
National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 1, 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 Rooks County is Dec 1, 2026, 30 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.
Rooks County grass production
In 2025, grassland and pasture in Rooks County grew about 2,129 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 101% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,108 pounds per acre. That was the 18th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 2,584 pounds per acre; worst: 1988 at 1,504.
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 Rooks 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
Rooks 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 Rooks County
Forecast for the center point of Rooks County.
- Windy on 3 days
- Today Chance Light Rain 66° 59° SSE 15–30 mph 68% rain
- Mon Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance T-storms 75° 46° SSW 15–25 mph 45% rain
- Tue Chance Light Rain then Partly Sunny 53° 37° NW 10–25 mph 44% rain
- Wed Sunny 57° 37° NW 5–10 mph 8% rain
- Thu Mostly Sunny 54° 35° NNW 0–10 mph 11% rain
- Fri Mostly Sunny 58° 39° WSW 0–5 mph 4% rain
- Sat Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain 60° 40° NW 5 mph 19% 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
Rooks County burning rules: Notify the Rooks County Sheriff dispatcher at 785.425.6312 prior to burning. Wind speeds must be less than 20 mph, the fire must be out by dark, and a method of extinguishing the fire must be in place.
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 2.06 in; same month last year 1.91 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 Rooks County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.
Webster Dam weather station (6 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 165-day growing season |
Apr 30 1 year in 10 it's after May 13 |
Oct 12 1 year in 10 it's before Sep 27 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 184-day growing season |
Apr 19 1 year in 10 it's after May 4 |
Oct 21 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 7 |
Plainville 4wnw weather station (8 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 178-day growing season |
Apr 23 1 year in 10 it's after May 6 |
Oct 20 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 3 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 197-day growing season |
Apr 12 1 year in 10 it's after Apr 30 |
Oct 29 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 13 |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Webster Dam, Plainville 4wnw), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Oct 18, 2026.
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Common questions and nearby counties
Is Rooks County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Yes. Rooks 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 Rooks County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Rooks 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 Rooks 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 Rooks County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Salina (99 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Dodge City (116 mi), last report Oct 28, 2026; Pratt (123 mi), last report Oct 29, 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.