Wichita County rain, outlook and forecast
On the Oct 27 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Wichita County, KS showed no drought; 0% of the county is in moderate drought (D1) or worse, down from 57% four weeks earlier. Wichita County has had 30% of its normal rain in the past 30 days and 234% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; today carries the week's highest rain chance at 83% (high 68°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 7–11 leans toward near-normal rain. FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Wichita County with up to 2 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Dodge City, 89 miles away.
Rain vs normal
- Last 30 days 30% of normal
- Last 60 days 326% of normal
- Last 90 days 234% 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 Drizzle, high 68°, low 54°, 83% rain, wind 20–25 mph
- Monday Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely, high 67°, low 42°, 63% rain, wind 15–25 mph
- Tuesday Mostly Sunny, high 53°, low 34°, 6% rain, wind 5–25 mph
- Wednesday Sunny, high 57°, low 35°, 23% rain, wind 5–10 mph
- Thursday Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny, high 53°, low 32°, 17% rain, wind 0–10 mph
- Friday Mostly Sunny, high 56°, low 35°, 6% rain, wind 0–5 mph
- Saturday Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 57°, low 36°, 18% 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 Wichita 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
Wichita 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)
Loading prices…
Loading drought…
Loading programs…
Weather for Wichita County
Forecast for the center point of Wichita County.
- Freeze on 1 night
- Windy on 3 days
- Today Slight Chance Drizzle 68° 54° S 20–25 mph 83% rain
- Mon Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely 67° 42° W 15–25 mph 63% rain
- Tue Mostly Sunny 53° 34° NW 5–25 mph 6% rain
- Wed Sunny 57° 35° N 5–10 mph 23% rain
- Thu Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny 53° 32° N 0–10 mph 17% rain
- Fri Mostly Sunny 56° 35° SW 0–5 mph 6% rain
- Sat Slight Chance Rain Showers 57° 36° N 5–10 mph 18% 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
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 1.39 in; same month last year 3.23 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 Wichita County. Frost = 32°F; hard freeze = 28°F.
Tribune 1w weather station (23 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 160-day growing season |
May 2 1 year in 10 it's after May 16 |
Oct 11 1 year in 10 it's before Sep 30 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 176-day growing season |
Apr 23 1 year in 10 it's after May 7 |
Oct 19 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 6 |
Scott City weather station (23 mi away)
| Typical last spring frost | Typical first fall frost | |
|---|---|---|
| Frost (32°F) 167-day growing season |
Apr 30 1 year in 10 it's after May 13 |
Oct 15 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 1 |
| Hard freeze (28°F) 186-day growing season |
Apr 20 1 year in 10 it's after May 4 |
Oct 23 1 year in 10 it's before Oct 10 |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Tribune 1w, Scott City), NOAA files as of Jun 27, 2023. Fetched Oct 18, 2026.
Loading money…
Loading deadlines…
Loading land…
Common questions and nearby counties
Is Wichita County eligible for LFP in 2026?
Yes. Wichita 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 Wichita County this week?
On the Drought Monitor map of Oct 27, 2026, most of Wichita 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 Wichita 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 Wichita County?
The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Dodge City (89 mi), last report Oct 28, 2026; Beaver (123 mi), last report Oct 27, 2026; La Junta Winter (123 mi), last report Oct 27, 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.