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Wirt County, WV

Cattle prices near Wirt County, West Virginia. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Ripley WV in Ripley, WV, about 22 miles away. On Nov 7, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $358.08 per hundredweight on 46 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Not listedFSA 2026 list Burn ban Checkcall the county Ripley WV 5-wt steers $358per cwt

Wirt County rain, outlook and forecast

The Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map shows most of Wirt County, WV with no drought. Rain has run 28% of normal over the last 30 days (well below normal) and 172% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; no day in the 7-day forecast tops a 19% rain chance and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans drier than normal (33% chance of below-normal rain). Wirt County is not on FSA's 2026 LFP list yet, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Ripley WV, 22 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 28% of normal
  • Last 60 days 170% of normal
  • Last 90 days 172% 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 drier than normal (33% chance of below-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 Chance Snow Showers then Chance Rain Showers, high 51°, low 29°, 19% rain, wind 0–6 mph
  2. Monday Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 25°, 1% rain, wind 0–2 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 58°, low 25°, 0% rain, wind 0 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 62°, low 28°, 0% rain, wind 0–1 mph
  5. Thursday Mostly Sunny, high 63°, low 35°, 0% rain, wind 1–5 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny, high 65°, low 36°, 0% rain, wind 1–2 mph
  7. Saturday Mostly Sunny, high 68°, low 41°, 4% rain, wind 1–6 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 Wirt 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.

Wirt County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Wirt County grew about 2,920 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 130% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,248 pounds per acre. That was the 1st best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2025 at 2,920 pounds per acre; worst: 1990 at 1,230.

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 Wirt 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 Wirt County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (Calhoun County, WV, Jackson County, WV, Ritchie County, WV, Roane County, WV). 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)

5-wt steers, nearest barns

Steers 500–599 lb, $/cwt, weekly average.

BarnLast sale5-wt steers
Ripley WV 22 miNov 7$358
Weston WV 49 miOct 31$368
Buckhannon WV 62 miOct 28$389
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

Price history · Barn map · Fed vs feeder cattle

All weights at the 3 nearest barns

Ripley WV 22 mi

Ripley, WV
Sale of Nov 7, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb30349.04$1,570
Heifers 500-599 lb38302.71$1,660
Heifers 600-699 lb10275.50$1,790
Heifers 700-799 lb6252.13$1,890
Steers 400-499 lb33377.20$1,700
Steers 500-599 lb46358.08$1,970
Steers 600-699 lb18332.81$2,160
Steers 700-799 lb8305.44$2,290

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Weston WV 49 mi

Weston, WV
Sale of Oct 31, 2026 old
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb17352.51$1,590
Heifers 500-599 lb15318.58$1,750
Heifers 600-699 lb7300.71$1,950
Heifers 700-799 lb2252.50$1,890
Steers 400-499 lb12406.94$1,830
Steers 500-599 lb23368.06$2,020
Steers 600-699 lb4328.43$2,130
Steers 700-799 lb3283.87$2,130

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Buckhannon WV 62 mi

Buckhannon, WV
Sale of Oct 28, 2026 old
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb5302.00$1,360
Heifers 500-599 lb9284.42$1,560
Heifers 600-699 lb1252.50$1,640
Steers 400-499 lb12431.67$1,940
Steers 500-599 lb4389.38$2,140
Steers 600-699 lb2320.00$2,080

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

20 more within 200 mi: Terra Alta WV (103 mi), Monterey VA (106 mi), Moorefield WV (130 mi), Flemingsburg KY (134 mi), Dublin VA (138 mi), Harrisonburg VA (Shenandoah) (141 mi), Harrisonburg VA (Rockingham) (141 mi), Roanoke VA (143 mi), Mt. Sterling KY (154 mi), Moneta VA (159 mi), Paris KY (166 mi), Winchester VA (172 mi), Rustburg VA (173 mi), Radiant VA (178 mi), Lexington KY (181 mi), Richmond KY (181 mi), Culpeper VA (186 mi), Owenton KY (189 mi), Marshall VA (191 mi), North Wilkesboro NC (197 mi).

Text me Wirt County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Jackson County Regional Ripley, WV 22 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 7, 2026
  2. Weston Livestock Marketing Weston, WV 49 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Oct 31, 2026
  3. Buckhannon Stockyards Buckhannon, WV 62 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Oct 28, 2026
  4. Preston Farmers Market Terra Alta, WV 103 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Oct 30, 2026
  5. Monterey Stockyard LLC Monterey, VA 106 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Oct 21, 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 · Nearest USDA hay reports (none for West Virginia): Kentucky

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Wirt County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Not on FSA's 2026 LFP county list as of Nov 5, 2026. FSA updates the list as drought changes.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Wirt County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Wirt 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.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026

Is there a burn ban in Wirt County?

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

What sale barns are near Wirt County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Ripley WV (22 mi), last report Nov 7, 2026; Weston WV (49 mi), last report Oct 31, 2026; Buckhannon WV (62 mi), last report Oct 28, 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.