After record rains, an ancient lake in Death Valley National Park what had disappeared came back into view.
A temporary lake, informally known as Lake Manly, has reappeared at the bottom of the Badwater Basin, which lies 282 feet below sea level in California. The basin is the lowest point in North America, according to National Park Service.
Repeated storms from September to November filled the apartment with runoff, creating a thin layer of water. This year's version is smaller and shallower than the one seen two years ago, when the remnants of Hurricane Hilary flooded the area—and briefly even allowed kayaking there.
I received the park in just two months more precipitation than usual for the whole year. Death Valley received 2.41 inches of rain between September and November, according to the National Weather Service. In November alone, the figure was 1.76 inches, surpassing the 1923 record of 1.7 inches.
Between 128,000 and 186,000 years ago, glaciers covered the Sierra Nevada. The meltwater of these ice sheets fed rivers that flowed into a huge valley lake, the original Lake Manly, which once stretched nearly 100 miles (160 km) in length.
Today the pool is usually dry, its surface cracked by the sun and wind. But recent flooding has changed it again, giving visitors a glimpse of what the desert might have looked like millennia ago.
Experts also warn of broader environmental changes taking place in Death Valley. As temperatures rose to nearly 130F (54.4C) in recent years, the so-called warm tourists flocked to experience the extreme conditions first-hand. The increasing heat has raised concerns about risks to native plants, birds and wildlife.
In August 2023, the city received more than 2 inches of rain. one day in Death Valley, breaking previous rainfall records. Flooding washed away the trails, forcing the park to close until mid-October. In July of that year, the valley erupted. thermal records reaching a temperature of 128F (53.3C). The highest temperature ever recorded on Earth was 134°F (56.7°C) in July 1913 in the same part of the park.
In 2016, a series of storms with heavy rain brought rare superbloom millions of wildflowers in Death Valley. The National Park Service says it is too early to predict whether current conditions could lead to another bloom of yellow flowers.
