If April showers bring May flowers, then what do November showers bring? Lake Manly, of course.
Record autumn showers in Death Valley National Park ushered in the return of what CBS News called an "ancient lake" from the Ice Age.
Lake Manly once boasted depths of up to 700 feet, ABC News reported. According to NASA, several rivers from the icy Sierra Nevada mountain range streamed into the lake, which was about 100 miles long and filled all of Death Valley.
This was over 100,000 years ago. Nowadays, Death Valley is the driest place in North America. Lake Manly's water levels ā when they exist ā are shallow. The area's wettest fall on record, achieved by rainfall through September and November 2025, brought only 2.41 inches of water.
It's not the first time Lake Manly has made an appearance in recent years. Hurricane Hilary filled the basin in 2023, marking its return after an 18-year absence.
When Lake Manly reforms, it delights local experts. Andrew Heltzel, chief commercial officer of the Xanterra Travel Collection, an operator of hotels in the area, told ABC News that the "most exciting" thing about the rain is the potential for a "superbloom" of wildflowers.
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"With the November rains, they came in gently enough that it was able to get into the ground and potentially give us those flowers as well as a second chance to see Lake Manly," he said.
Witnessing Lake Manly in and of itself is a rare event. Seeing a superbloom on top of that? That's extraordinary.
At the time of writing, a 2026 superbloom is still up in the air, though DesertUSA predicted that 2026 could be a great year for witnessing desert wildflowers.
According to the U.S. National Park Service, superblooms occur about once per decade, providing nectar for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
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Those planning visits should check the official park website for updates.
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