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Shelby County, AL

Cattle prices near Shelby County, Alabama. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Ashville AL in Ashville, AL, about 45 miles away. The latest report is dated Nov 9 (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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Drought Abnormally dryD0 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 3 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Lineville AL 5-wt steers $365per cwt

Shelby County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Shelby County, AL was abnormally dry (D0); 54% of the county is abnormally dry (D0) or worse, the same as four weeks earlier. Shelby County has had 22% of its normal rain in the past 30 days and 75% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 3% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans toward near-normal rain. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Shelby County with up to 3 monthly payments, and Ashville AL is the closest USDA-reported sale barn at 45 miles.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 22% of normal
  • Last 60 days 78% of normal
  • Last 90 days 75% of normal

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 wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)

NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 14, 2026. Source.

Next 7 days

  1. Today Mostly Sunny, high 61°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  2. Monday Patchy Frost then Mostly Sunny, high 63°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  3. Tuesday Patchy Frost then Sunny, high 66°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  4. Wednesday Patchy Frost then Sunny, high 70°, low 39°, 1% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 72°, low 41°, 0% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  6. Friday Sunny, high 73°, low 42°, 1% rain, wind 0–5 mph
  7. Saturday Sunny, high 74°, low 46°, 3% rain, wind 0–5 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 Shelby 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.

Shelby County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Shelby County grew about 2,208 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 102% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,156 pounds per acre. That was the 19th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 1998 at 2,738 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 997.

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 Shelby 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

Shelby 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)

Next 7 days · National Weather Service

Weather for Shelby County

Forecast for the center point of Shelby County.

    1. Today Mostly Sunny 61° 35° NE 0–5 mph 0% rain
    2. Mon Patchy Frost then Mostly Sunny 63° 34° E 0–5 mph 0% rain
    3. Tue Patchy Frost then Sunny 66° 36° E 0–5 mph 0% rain
    4. Wed Patchy Frost then Sunny 70° 39° E 0–5 mph 1% rain
    5. Thu Mostly Sunny 72° 41° NE 0–5 mph 0% rain
    6. Fri Sunny 73° 42° NE 0–5 mph 1% rain
    7. Sat Sunny 74° 46° SE 0–5 mph 3% rain

    Forecast from the National Weather Service, updated Nov 15, 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

    Data pending. Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for Alabama; county commissions, sheriffs and fire districts post local fire restrictions, so check your county's own notices

    No official ban list to check here, so Cownty shows the National Weather Service fire-weather alerts for the county instead: none right now.

    Guide: Burn bans: where to check and what they mean

    Weather warnings right now

    None right now

    National Weather Service active alerts for this county, as of Nov 15, 2026 (source). Fetched Nov 15, 2026.

    Rainfall vs normal

    Oct 2026
    4.41 in 129% of normal
    Last 12 months
    48.01 in 85%
    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, Nov 2025 to Oct 2026. Normal = NCEI's own 1991-2020 average for each month (Oct 2026 normal 3.43 in; same month last year 2.77 in). NCEI posts each month around the 8th of the next and may revise recent months. Source: NOAA NCEI Climate at a Glance. Fetched Nov 14, 2026.

    Wildfires

    No current fire perimeter in the county

    No current perimeter within 100 mi of the county center (48 mapped nationally).

    See the fire map

    Interagency fire outlines. Small or brand-new fires are often not mapped yet; call 911 for a fire you can see. Layer updated Nov 15, 2026. Source: National Interagency Fire Center. Fetched Nov 15, 2026.

    Frost dates

    Frost and freeze dates

    30-year averages (1991–2020) from the weather stations nearest Shelby County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.

    Alabaster Shelby Co Ap weather station (9 mi away)

    Typical last spring frostTypical first fall frost
    Frost (32°F)
    248-day growing season
    		 Mar 12
    1 year in 10 it's after Mar 31
    		 Nov 16
    1 year in 10 it's before Nov 1
    Hard freeze (28°F)
    278-day growing season
    		 Feb 27
    1 year in 10 it's after Mar 17
    		 Dec 1
    1 year in 10 it's before Nov 10

    Helena weather station (10 mi away)

    Typical last spring frostTypical first fall frost
    Frost (32°F)
    236-day growing season
    		 Mar 19
    1 year in 10 it's after Apr 9
    		 Nov 8
    1 year in 10 it's before Oct 26
    Hard freeze (28°F)
    262-day growing season
    		 Mar 4
    1 year in 10 it's after Mar 25
    		 Nov 22
    1 year in 10 it's before Nov 3

    short record Based on only 17 years of records here (30 is normal), so treat it as rougher.

    Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Alabaster Shelby Co Ap, Helena), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Nov 11, 2026.

    Text me Shelby County changes

    Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

    1. Ashville Stockyard Ashville, AL 45 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
    2. Clay County Livestock Auction Lineville, AL 53 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
    3. Cullman Stockyard Cullman, AL 64 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
    4. Arab Livestock Market Arab, AL 74 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
    5. Alabama Livestock Auction Uniontown, AL 74 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 3, 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 Alabama

    Common questions and nearby counties

    Is Shelby County eligible for LFP in 2026?

    Yes. Shelby County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 3 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 Shelby County this week?

    On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Shelby County was in abnormally dry (D0), and the worst part was abnormally dry (D0) on 54% 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 Shelby County?

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

    What sale barns are near Shelby County?

    The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Ashville AL (45 mi), last report Nov 9, 2026; Lineville AL (53 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Cullman AL (64 mi), last report Nov 10, 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.