Death Valley Drenched: November Rainfall Shatters 115-Year Record

Death Valley, typically arid, experienced unprecedented rainfall in November, breaking a 115-year record. The region received over 1.75 inches of rain, a stark contrast to its usual November precipitation. This extraordinary event was driven by an early-season atmospheric river, a weather phenomenon that brings moisture-laden air masses.

The heavy downpours triggered significant flooding throughout the national park, necessitating the closure of several roads. Some of these routes remain impassable with no clear reopening date, as the floods washed away sections of roadway. The ground's hard, rocky nature in Death Valley exacerbates flood risks, turning rainfall into fast-moving debris flows.

Meteorological fall, from September to November, also proved exceptionally wet in some areas, with Death Valley recording its wettest such period. Despite the recent deluge, forecasters anticipate a return to warmer temperatures and below-average precipitation for the region in the upcoming week.