Last August, a "1,000-year" rain event wiped out roads, stranded hikers, and created a brand-new lake in Death Valley National Park. Less than six months later, the park is reeling from another storm.
Photo: NPS/Giovanna Ponce
Recent rains have increased the size of a temporary lake in Death Valley's Badwater Basin. Photo: NPS/Giovanna Ponce
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Death Valley National Park is in rcovery mode after California’s atmospheric rivers dropped 1.5 inches of rain on the park over the course of four days last week. The rain not only caused damage to the park but it also temporarily halted repairs from previous flooding.
Known as the driest place in all of North America, Death Valley typically receives about 2 inches of rain over the course of an entire year. Over the past twelve months, however, the park has received more—much more. Recent readings from the Furnace Weather Gauge show that the region received 4.9 inches of rain over the past 6 months alone, “with most of that happening in just two events: the remnants of Hurricane Hilary (2.2 inches on August 20) and the recent atmospheric river (1.5 inches from February 4-7),” note park officials.
Over the past several years, historic rains have washed out infrastructure and caused monthslong closures on multiple occasions. In August, Hurricane Hillary led to crumbling roads, a park-wide closure, and a new lake in Badwater Basin, which remains visible today.
“Most of us thought the lake would be gone by October,” park ranger Abby Wines told Fox Weather. “We were shocked to see it still here after almost six months. This week’s rain will extend how long the lake is here. It’s too shallow to kayak in, but it makes amazing reflections of the mountains.”
In 2022, the park received a “once-in-a-1,000-year” amount of rain that contributed to similar but more extensive damage. Daniel Berc, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Las Vegas told the National Park Service,”
“A 1,000-year event doesn’t mean it happens once per 1,000 years, rather that there is a 0.1% chance of occurring in any given year,” he said.
The latest rainfall caused flooding, debris, and a number of road closures due to Tuesday’s flash flooding. Parts of the park also received snow, which could contribute to a super bloom this Spring.
Caltrans was able to remove much of the debris and re-open CA-190 on Wednesday morning. At this time, most of the park’s major roads are open. But many side roads and more remote roads remain closed until further notice.
From 2024
