[Eric Hansen]

https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/super-bloom/

L.A. Times: A Rare Super Bloom of Desert Wildflowers Is Expected This Spring

Article focuses on Anza-Borrego, and mentions that the last super bloom saw 200,000 visitors come. Comments sections has locals asking visitors to behave well, arrive with extra water, full gas tank.

[gb]

This is what the US drought monitor shows: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu

A friend that I ran into at the VW who was visiting from Escalante and has lived in Tucson for a number of years said she expected a super bloom but not in the Mojave, rather in the Phoenix/Tucson Sonoran desert. I mentioned recent rains but she said what is important is fall rains not late winter rains and that the Sonoran had received periodic and exceptional rains all fall/winter but not Death Valley/Mojave. That seems to be borne out in the drought monitor and you can also find a reporting of the water season for various stations including Death Valley. https://www.cnrfc.noaa.gov/monthly_precip.php And Death Valley has had subnormal rains. Perhaps Anza Borrego is different, though, because Needles has had 127% of normal precipitation? Barstow is slightly below normal.

The NPS Death Valley has a page on expected wildflowers and do not expect a superbloom. I think a glance at the drought monitor indicates similar conditions throughout the Mojave/Anza Borrego.

Very recently there have been extremely large storms in the SW and an Atmospheric River is expected mid to late this week. But it is too late according to the NPS in these regions.

My friend expects a normal bloom near Escalante (borne out by the above data). I would expect a very good bloom in the Owens Valley since Mammoth had significant early winter storms - and of course, has had a ton of snow recently. Bishop is 130% of normal precipitation.

[Eric Hansen]

Well said GB. I posted not with a view towards saying this article is on solid ground, or that I believe it to be accurate, but rather seeing it as a nudge to consider a possibility. Whether their headline proves out only time will tell.

[Sculpin]

Yes , good stuff from gb, and thanks for bringing it up Eric.

The rains are late and Death Valley is too far behind, but some of the skepticism about the rains being too late sounds wrong to me.  The biggest flushes of color depend on Fall rains, but a lot of precip this time of year will bring plenty of flowers.  It is a good year to go, depending on one thing that you might not expect...if there is too much rain right before you get there, you and everyone else won't be able to drive off the pavement, and in Anza Borrego and much of the desert southwest, that would suck.   

--------------
Even my best friends, they don't know, that my job is turning lead into gold. When you hear that engine drone, I'm on the road again, and I'm searching for the philosopher's stone - Van Morrison

[gb]

Well, I hadn't known that much about the timing of rains until I talked with my friend. I do know that I have been in the SW in fall after a period of rain and definitely some flowers did come out. But they really weren't profuse. In fact, even last fall in mid-late September in Colorado after some rains I noticed some beautiful blooms adjacent to pavement or next to cliffs where there had been more run-off. I would have stopped but it would have been dangerous. But the blooms were just rather random.

[jinx'sboy]

The spring of 2017 was a remarkable bloom out on the Carrizo Plains, east of San Luis Obispo, CA.  I was there that April and a LA Times article brought tens of thousands of people out to this little visited area.  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrizo_Plain

I was down in the Central CA coast recently....all the rain there this winter portends a similar spectacular bloom this spring.

[Eric Hansen]

Super bloom: can this tiny California town avoid another 'flowergeddon'?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/15/california-superbloom-flowergeddon-anza-borrego

[Grannyhiker]

Actual reports:
Desert USA wildflower reports--Southern California--lots of photos.

The Carrizo Plain is currently blooming away.

They expect a banner year at the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve.  Peak in about 2-3 weeks.  I was down there in 2005, first week of April, and it was extraordinary!  So was Tejon Pass--the top of the Grapevine, along Gorman Road which parallels I-5 at that point.

--------------
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.--E.Abbey

[ThursdayHiker]

We visited Anza Borrego for a few days a couple of weeks ago and the flowers were great in some areas.  Also the desert was unusually green.  There are lots of interesting places to explore, especially if you have a Jeep. This huge 600,000 acre state park has bad lands, slot canyons, palm oasises, and peaks to bag. There are a fair number of formal trails but it is most fun to just wander off trail.
We were also there about the same time during the 2017 superbloom.  This year was just as good but just blooming in different areas.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BermN9UbvVD2HqQJ8

Anza Borrego Flowers

[marta]

Arizona is also having a great year.  We just got back from Tucson although the hot spots are up NE of Phoenix.  (Peridot Mesa on San Carlos Reservations and Bartlett Lake)

Bartlett Lake Arizona

Bartlett Lake Arizona

Bartlett Lake Arizona

Bartlett Lake Arizona

Bartlett Lake Arizona

Peridot Mesa - Arizona

Peridot Mesa - Arizona

Peridot Mesa - Arizona

Peridot Mesa - Arizona

Peridot Mesa - Arizona

Peridot Mesa - Arizona

Peridot Mesa - Arizona

[Tom]

[Riverside Laker]

No blooms in Mojave Preserve yet.

[Grannyhiker]

The butterfly bloom might reduce the flower numbers, but worth it:

Painted lady butterfly bloom

Sounds as though extra windshield cleaning supplies are advisable!

--------------
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.--E.Abbey

[Brushwork]

Those are beautiful pictures Marta !!! Must have been wonderful to see !!!! Thanks !

--------------
When I grow up I wanna play.

[gb]

Amazingly beautiful, Marta.