Across the deserts of the American West, a rare and widespread superbloom is taking shape, including in Death Valley National Park where it has already started. Following months of steady storms and snowmelt runoff, landscapes typically defined by sand and sparse vegetation are now covered in acres of vibrant wildflowers.
From Southern California to parts of Nevada and Arizona, carpets of these extraordinary flowers are emerging in numbers not seen in years. Hillsides are turning gold and violet. Valleys that appeared dormant just weeks ago are now alive with desert gold, brown-eyed primrose, lupine, and verbena. Regions long defined by drought and dust are experiencing a widespread superbloom, a phenomenon that occurs only when rainfall totals and seasonal timing align almost perfectly.
A Perfect Alignment of Weather
Superblooms are not simply heavy-flowering seasons; they require sustained rainfall that penetrates deep into desert soils, activating seeds that can remain dormant for years or even decades. Moderate temperatures and minimal destructive wind must then follow that moisture. Since last fall, parts of the West have seen unusually wet conditions, with some desert regions receiving what amounts to a year’s worth of rain within just a few months.
In a recent television interview with Fox Weather, Matthew Lamar, a park ranger at Death Valley National Park, described just how unusual this season has been…