With heavy rains in California, including Death Valley, signs are good for a possible ‘superbloom’ this year, with wildly-colorful flowers breaking out over desert spaces.
The event occurs about once a decade, when weather conditions are right, causing countless dormant wildflowers to bloom almost simultaneously. While there was some in 2023, the last widespread California superbloom was in 2017.
Rains so far this winter have been heavy enough that some areas have already had about 70% of their usual annual rain total in only two months. Southern California is the best bet for a big bloom this year.
While the phenomenon is beautiful, it’s not without issues—both for people who may be sensitive to high pollen levels, and to local officials coping with swarms of visitor eager for a look and an instagrammable photo.
Image: Superbloom at Carrizo, California, 2017 (Bob Wick/U.S. Bureau of Land Management)
