Smith County rain, outlook and forecast
Most of Smith County, KS showed no drought on the Oct 27 U.S. Drought Monitor map; four weeks earlier 1% of the county was abnormally dry (D0) or worse, now 0%. Over 90 days rain is at 185% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 139% (above normal); the best rain chance this week is 67% on today (high 65°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans toward near-normal rain. FSA has not added Smith County to its 2026 LFP list, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Salina, 92 miles away.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 139% of normal
- Last 60 days 255% of normal
- Last 90 days 185% 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 65°, low 59°, 67% rain, wind 15–25 mph
- Monday Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance T-storms, high 75°, low 48°, 58% rain, wind 15–25 mph
- Tuesday Light Rain Likely, high 53°, low 38°, 55% rain, wind 10–25 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 57°, low 38°, 5% rain, wind 5–10 mph
- Thursday Partly Sunny, high 54°, low 36°, 9% rain, wind 5–10 mph
- Friday Mostly Sunny, high 58°, low 39°, 3% rain, wind 0–5 mph
- Saturday Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain, high 61°, low 41°, 16% rain, wind 5–10 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 Smith 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 Smith County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (Osborne County, KS, Phillips County, KS, Rooks 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)
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Where it is, with barns within 200 mi
Dots are sale barns USDA reports on. Tap one for its latest prices.
Grass grown on rangeland and pasture
Grass grown in 2025: 2,298 lb per acre, a little above normal (106% of the 1991-2020 average of 2,172).
How to read this
Each bar is one year's grass (darker = perennial grasses, lighter = annuals). The dashed line is the 1991-2020 average. A county average with cropland excluded, not your pasture.
How we got this
Satellite estimate of new above-ground growth of grasses and forbs for the year (annual + perennial, lb/acre), averaged over the county's grassland, pasture and shrubland (37% of the county in USDA's 2025 cropland map; farm fields are left out because the estimate isn't valid there, and the same 2025 map is used for every year). About about 120 m (RAP overview). Source: Rangeland Analysis Platform biomass v3 (data, Jones et al. 2021, CC0) and USDA NASS Cropland Data Layer.
Source: Rangeland Analysis Platform, 2025 season. Fetched Nov 1, 2026.
Useful links
Shipping cattle out of Texas
Each state sets its own entry rules for ID, health certificates and screwworm checks. Look up the state you're shipping to before you load.
- InterstateLivestock.com state-by-state entry rules
Source: InterstateLivestock.com (third-party site) · link checked Nov 1, 2026
- APHIS cattle animal disease traceability decision tree (PDF)
Source: USDA APHIS · link checked Nov 1, 2026
Link only. Cownty doesn't copy or check this content; follow the source.
AgriLife events in the High Plains
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension meetings, field days and CEU programs in the Panhandle.
- High Plains events and learning
Source: Texas A&M AgriLife · link checked Nov 1, 2026
Link only. Cownty doesn't copy or check this content; follow the source.
When to pull cattle off wheat
Grazing past first hollow stem cuts grain yield. Oklahoma State's guide explains how to check a field, and its yearly trial reports first-hollow-stem dates by variety.
- Fall forage and first hollow stem dates by wheat variety, 2025–2026
Source: Oklahoma State University Extension · link last confirmed Oct 17, 2026 (site blocks automated checks)
- First hollow stem: a critical wheat growth stage (how to check)
Source: Oklahoma State University Extension · link last confirmed Oct 17, 2026 (site blocks automated checks)
Link only. Cownty doesn't copy or check this content; follow the source.
Common questions and nearby counties
Is Smith 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 Smith County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Smith 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 Smith 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 Smith County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Salina (92 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Pratt (148 mi), last report Oct 29, 2026; Dodge City (155 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.