Ocean waves explain which La Niña events will linger

Cattle scavenging parched landscapes in search of tufts of crispy grass were the iconic image of the Texas drought in the winter of 2011. Record dry conditions inflicted nearly $8 billion in economic losses on the state’s agricultural sector before April showers brought a scant dose of relief. By fall, however, it became clear that warm, dry weather would return the following winter thanks to a persistent weather pattern in the tropical Pacific known as La Niña.

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