Weather-related disasters took a pricey toll on agriculture last year. The Farm Bureau reviewed crop insurance data and says that weather caused $12.5 billion dollars in losses to farmers and ranchers.
That number does not include losses to timber and infrastructure.
With that, la Nina is set to last longer than initially expected. The National Weather Service says that it now looks like the pattern will continue for several months.
The Climate Prediction Center said that there is a 53 percent chance it lasts through August. The previous prediction was spring. La Nina is characterized by unusually cold weather in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean.