The Death Valley floor has erupted in a sea of vibrant flowers thanks to record-setting rainfall.
The valley is so-named for being one of the world’s most arid places, regularly seeing about two inches of rain per year. However, extreme weather events such as Hurricane Hilary have tipped the balance, with that storm system delivering 2.2 inches on August 20 alone.
Months after Hilary’s path of destruction, which saw mudslides, flooding and power outages across Southern California, February’s atmospheric river dumped 1.5 additional inches of rain on Death Valley over a three-day span.
These conditions culminated in one of the most impressive wildflower seasons since 2016, with an estimated tens of thousands of acres blossoming at once.
Despite the striking display, the National Park Service has not declared a superbloom this year.
Death Valley National Park has exploded with a sea of brightly colored blossoms following a period of record-setting rainfall
The arid valley typically sees just two inches of rain per year. However, extreme weather events have thrown it into disarray, with Hurricane Hilary delivering 2.2 inches on August 20 alone
The destructive hurricane was followed by an atmospheric river in February that dumped another 1.5 inches of rain in the desert region over three days
The term originated in the 1990s, and although botanists disagree on a definition, it typically denotes large-scale blooms of annual wildflower species in dry areas that would otherwise be a rarity.
The phenomenon occurs roughly once a decade in Death Valley, with the last recorded in 2016. The region experiences three bloom windows, with the latest culminating in mid-July.
‘A good wildflower year depends on at least three things: Well-spaced rainfall throughout the fall, winter, and spring, sufficient warmth from the sun and lack of drying winds,’ the NPS notes on its website.
‘Death Valley is famous for its spectacular, spring wildflower displays, but those are the exception, not the rule. Only under perfect conditions does the desert fill with a sea of gold, purple, pink or white flowers.’
The sudden deluge of rain followed by an on-and-off lack of moisture might explain why this year’s superbloom didn’t pan out. Another factor could be the proliferation of invasive weeds, driving competition for nutrients and space in the soil.
Nevertheless, the conditions have brought Death Valley to life in a shock of cheery yellow flowers, drawing tourists to towns like Tecopa and Shoshone along the park’s perimeter.
According to the National Park Service, the best places to view wildflowers within the national park are near the east entrance on Dantes View Road and Panamint Valley on the west side.
There are more flowers to be found along Stateline Road between Death Valley Junction and Pahrump.
Despite the proliferation of blossoms, this year is not shaping up to be a superbloom thanks to periods of heavy rainfall followed by an on-and-off lack of moisture since the fall
The best places to view flowers within the park are near the east entrance on Dantes View Road and Panamint Valley on the west side, according to the National Park Service
While the return of flowers to Death Valley may seem promising, extreme weather can have grim implications for the millions calling California home
Lake Manly, which dried up thousands of years ago and reappeared most recently in 2005, came back stronger than ever this year, flooding the park’s Badwater Basin
The eruption of swaths of flowers comes weeks after the resurrection of Lake Manly, which swelled in the park’s Badwater Basin – the lowest point on the continent.
Lake Manly also reappeared in 2005 after drying up thousands of years prior, but experts believe it was even larger thanks to recent rains.
However, water levels have dropped since its return, with the Parks Service issuing an advisory that the lake would be closed to boating.
While the return of flowers and lakes to Death Valley may seem promising, extreme weather can have grim implications.
Speaking to the Washington Post, Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director for the Center for Biological Diversity, described the events in Death Valley as ‘climate chaos.’
‘A lake forming in Death Valley after the wettest six months on record, followed by this bizarre bloom that is unlike anything we’ve observed before,’ Donnelly said. ‘If you want the picture of climate change, this is it.’
This ‘chaos’ has implications for the nearly 40 million people calling California home.
Climate models indicate that the state is likely to see larger and warmer storms, prompting increased rainfall and flooding.
However, it is not guaranteed that the storms will bring more water overall, leading to more frequent or damaging droughts.
The term ‘superbloom’ typically describes large-scale blooms of annual wildflower species in arid habitats
Climate models indicate that the state is likely to see larger and warmer storms, triggering more rainfall and heavier flooding
Death Valley sees three bloom windows, with the last wrapping up in mid-July
In instances where there is more water, the state will have to find new ways to manage it amid rapidly shifting and now unpredictable conditions.
‘Changes in precipitation patterns will require modifications in how we operate and manage our dams and reservoirs,’ the California Department of Water Resources notes on its website.
As past patterns are growing increasingly unreliable to forecast the future, the department may need to release more water from dams to prevent flooding. But if done, officials run the risk of being unable to recoup the water through spring runoff.
Amid an ever-impending sense of doom, wildflowers are a much-needed distraction for climate scientists like Donnelly.
‘I’m going to enjoy this,’ he said of the bloom. ‘Because I need it. … I love flowers in the desert, it’s the thing that makes me happiest in the world, you get addicted to it. So I’ll just take it and try to drink it all up while I can.’