California rains turn Death Valley into lake

Rebecca Robinson, Daily Express US/MSN; Xochitl, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Atmospheric river Feb. 4-7, 2024, Death Valley Nat'l Park (U.S. Nat'l Park Service) (nps.gov)

Californians in disbelief standing by the new Death Valley Lake (© Getty)

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California Island, circa 1650 (J. Vingboons)

Death Valley, California -- the hottest place on earth -- is notorious for its barren, arid landscape and scorching temperatures. But now it is home to a giant lake, thanks to atmospheric river storms.

Recent historic rainstorms that pummeled California have left behind an unexpected spectacle, defying the valley's typical parched image.

Nestled within Badwater Basin, a place known for its expansive salt flats and unforgiving climate, the lake emerged in August following relentless downpours and flash floods triggered by the remnants of Hurricane Hilary, according to park officials.

What began as a temporary consequence of the severe weather has now transformed into a more permanent feature [like California's great Salton Sea, which may actually be a remnant from the time California was an island on verified maps], thanks to the recent atmospheric river storms.

In a statement, park ranger Abby Wines expressed astonishment at its resilience:

"Most of us thought the lake would be gone by October. We were shocked to see it still here after almost six months. More: Stunning photographs show lake formed in scorching Death Valley after California rains

Snow on Los Angeles's Mount Wilson

After the storm, LA has snow and is once again a different kind of beautiful...science (MSN)

There are beaches galore in Los Angeles, from Santa Monica up to Zuma and down to OC

All we do is hike, unless we're so fat that we just sit inside and watch ourselves on TV.

The Hollywood sign is on a hill between LA and its Valley (SFV) with Angeles Forest behind

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The snow above sunny Los Angeles (DTLA)

Snow in Los Angeles? I thought LA was a desert! It is not a desert but rather a Mediterranean climate with nearby deserts. We have snow and surf, sand and suffering. We have it all. And to get TV and radio in the basin, not to mention cell reception, we have Mt. Wilson, the tallest peak around (except for neighboring Mt. Baldy, which is a real mountain full of snow and deadly trails for hikers who want to get lost and maybe rescued in time). We are walking distance from the peak that is lovely Mt. Wilson. It has great views of the ocean and a nifty Mount Wilson Observatory that used to be something before all the light pollution ruined its usefulness. Standing in Pasadena, which is about 5 miles from Downtown Los Angeles (the "city center" as if a 50-square-mile megalopolis could have a center, which it doesn't really), one can see snow, lots of it. Look east from the San Gabriel Valley at that mountain range blanketed in white again. It hasn't been for years. Look north for the dusting of the foothills and a little more east for the bald eagle looking Mt. San Antonio ("Mt. Baldy"). Ski in the morning, surf in the afternoon, come down with a cold by that evening -- all with a tan.

• Weather map shows heavy snowfall to hit several US states early next week