Photos: The Desert five-spot flower (left) and winter blanketing the Panamint Mountains (right) during a rainy year when wildflowers are abundant. In 2012 Death Valley Wildflowers are Few & Far Between Says National Park Service.
A good wildflower year depends on at least three things:
Hopes are high around this time each year as photographers, tourists, nature and desert lovers all look for good news that the desert is in bloom. According the Wildflower Update from the National Park Service in Death Valley, there aren't going to be many blossoms this year. In a February 7, 2012 report the prognosis wasn't so good. Winter 2011/2012 has been very dry in Death Valley National Park and the lack of rainfall has prevented wildflower seeds from sprouting, which will likely result in an extremely limited wildflower bloom this spring.
"If weather conditions persist, we expect to find only a few flowering shrubs and perennials to bloom in washes and canyons," say park officials. Peak blooming periods for Death Valley are usually mid-February to mid-April.
Now in the prime tourist season, the daytime high for Saturday, Feb. 25 should be around 85 degrees, then drop down to 78 on Sunday, 65 and windy on Monday, then climb back up to the mid-70s for the rest of next week. By the month of May, the daytime temperatures climb above 100 degrees and don't drop back down for five months! Death Valley's beauty is inspiring and for fair-weathered friends, you should go now. This California desert region is comprised of National Park Service lands with many highlights to see–Badwater Canyon, Scotty's Castle tours, sand dunes and more.
2011-2012 has been relatively dry throughout the state but in rainy seasons visitors to the national park can see seas of gold, purple, pink and white.