The mixture of fall and winter storms combined with warm sunshine has created a breathtaking sight to behold in Death Valley.
Death Valley is a national park, located in eastern California. For the first time in more than a decade, the typically barren terrain is bursting with color--unofficially known as the "super bloom." The fields of desert gold, patches of purple, and wisps of white are all thanks to some unusual October storms that soaked the usually parched landscape.
The area is known as one of the hottest and driest in North America and typically only receives an average of two inches of rain a year. The desert valley hasn't seen this many blooms since 2005. Park officials said the super bloom should continue for some time.
Instructional Links
Website: Death Valley National Park, Wildflowers
http://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/wildflowers.htm
Video: PBS LearningMedia, NatureScene, Geology of Death Valley
http://ideastream.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/etv08.sci.ess.earthsys.geology/geology-of-death-valley/
Lesson Plan: PBS LearningMedia, Nature, You Can Die Here, Death Valley, CA