Carpets of yellow, orange and gold flowers are beginning to cover Southern California’s vast deserts, the Bay Area’s dramatic bluffs and even near Los Angeles International Airport.
But do they add up to a “superbloom”? There is no single definition of the event, but so far this year’s blooms haven’t been as vibrant or abundant as those that took over swaths of California last spring following drought-busting rains. This year, too, the state received ample winter rains.
After especially wet winters, bursts of color may appear in the spring, drawing droves of visitors to California and other parts of the Southwest to glimpse the flowering fields and pose for pictures.
Here are some key facts about the natural spectacle:
Scientists don’t agree on any one definition. Across California and Arizona, there are stretches of desert that can quickly transform into dense fields of wildflowers, since seeds lie dormant in the soil and then germinate and blossom at around the same time.
Pentagon vows to keep weapons moving to Ukraine as Kyiv faces a renewed assault by Russia
China allocates disaster relief funds for Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi
Chinese female carrier aircraft pilot trainees complete solo flights
Yao: Team's Olympic pain must drive change
Uber and Lyft say they'll stay in Minnesota after Legislature passes driver pay compromise
British police officer pleads guilty to terror charges for showing support for Hamas on WhatsApp
Real Madrid can clinch Spanish league title as it seeks another Champions League crown
China finish with three titles at BWF French Open
Chinese female carrier aircraft pilot trainees complete solo flights
A warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest was requested. But no decision was made about whether to issue it
Broadband internet services are disrupted in most parts of Nepal