The Desert Blooms

[mesquite buckeye]

That big rain was the real deal late last week. Below is the radar estimated rainfall as posted on Intellicast.

http://www.intellicast.com/National/Precipitation/Weekly.aspx?location=USAZ0178

What happened is what is referred to in the plant ecology community as a germinating event. Much of the Southwest received between 1 and 8 inches of rainfall more or less gradually over 2 days. For some areas, this is 2 whole years of rain! This means that the soil profile has been wetted to depth so the wildflowers that germinate will have enough water to grow and reproduce without any additional rain at all. Depending upon what happens from now until March with rain will determine whether this will be a good wildflower year or a great one. If it keeps raining, we could have flowers from Death Valley to Arizona and south into Mexico. The last time that happened was 1998, and the displays were jaw dropping. For any who want to see the show, Peak bloom starts about mid March and can run into April. The rains were a little late, so the start could be delayed.

If you might be interested in seeing one of the true miracles of nature, I recommend printing out the above link, as they don't seem to keep them up for long. I will try to post additional rainfall events in the SW as they happen.
Fingers crossed on a great one. ;D smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_eek_dropjaw smiley_daisy

[mesquite buckeye]

Here is an example of a nice, but not spectacular bloom in Anza-Borrego State Park in California, March 3, 2009.


 

When a great bloom comes, the color and beauty will take your breath away. ;D

[beenthere]

Drove on a vacation trip Feb 2005 through death valley when it was in full bloom as far as you could see.
Your pic reminds me of that trip. The locals were really excited as it apparently doesn't happen that way every year.

[Cedarman]

This year we stayed a week in the San Rafael Swell Utah.  They had several inches of rain just before we got there.  First week of Oct.  Sage brush bloomed yellow and other flowers all over the place.  The brown desert turned green.  Really nice.

[mesquite buckeye]

Drove on a vacation trip Feb 2005 through death valley when it was in full bloom as far as you could see.
Your pic reminds me of that trip. The locals were really excited as it apparently doesn't happen that way every year.

That Death Valley bloom was said to be the best in 100 years. ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

A bunch of people died on the road in Titus Canyon the fall before during the flash flood that was associated with the germination. A wall of mud and water 20 ft high came down the vertical walled canyon. The following spring you could still see the mud under rock overhangs 20 feet up the side. :(

[mesquite buckeye]

Just as I feared, the link at the beginning of this thread only gets you the last week's rain. For anyone interested in the spring bloom, you need to print out each week's precipitation estimates over the season and save them to locate where the best wildflower stands will be. Unfortunately, I didn't print it out at home so unless somebody else did and can post a photo of the rain distribution from last week, It is lost.

[giant splinter]

I too missed the chance to print that link, I can say that death valley and the desert in general did get some quality rain during the last ten days. I am trying to find another link to the Death Valley and also the Algadones Dunes area to provide more information to support your efforts.
I can add a few images from the time I spent at Glamis Dunes that show the stormy skies but I did not take any during the storms at that time.

https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5219&pid=147405#top_display_media

https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=5219&pid=147406#top_display_media

[mesquite buckeye]

This week's rainfall.



 

Ground is still wet. Anybody who copied the original post rainfall?

[mesquite buckeye]

This week's rain. ;D 8) 8) 8)


 

Supposed to get another substantial one Thursday and Friday.

[mesquite buckeye]

More rain. Wildflowers have germinated in the places with decent rainfall. Looking good for March-April so far. .4" at home and 0.46" at saguaro hill in Redington.

Here is the latest radar estimated rainfall from this storm.

 
;D ;D ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

[giant splinter]

Thank you for keeping up with the rainfall and posting the weather charts, I am for sure going to have time to photograph some of the Algadones dunes, Yuma and Brawley areas. I am also thinking about some of the Eastern Sierra and high deserts on my way back up north. It also looks like the upper Gulf of California and the upper Baja are getting plenty of rain all the way down to Bahia de Los Angeles, this all looks promising for the spring wildflowers in the desert regions of the south-west.

[mesquite buckeye]

Also check out the Sierra Pinacate and the Cabeza Prieta. They have had close to 2 years worth of rain this fall. ;D

Tucson area and PHX also should be good. I am seeing wildflower seedlings at the ranch and the Tucson Mountains west of town are carpeted in green. It is coming! :new_year:

[chain]

Thanks for posting, so interesting about the Desert. We have a nephew out around Phoenix who spends most his time in the wilds, hiking, camping, fishing; fascinating areas you have!

About the only habitat we could compare is our Ozark rock glade, I found a cactus growing last summer! But also have glade wild-flowers that also need certain wet-dry periods to produce.

[mesquite buckeye]

Nothing of real note except a half inch in spots near Yuma. We have high pressure stuck in place which gives us great winter weather, but little or no rain.

 

[mesquite buckeye]

Very little rain this wk in the SW. >:( :(

 

The Mexican goldpoppies in my yard are starting to bloom.  ;D ;D 8) Here is a glimpse of a fair display south of Kelvin, AZ in spring of 2008.

 

[mesquite buckeye]

Really dry. Looking like maybe we will get little flowers early then dry up. Here is this week's rain.

Northern Baja looks promising.

 

[giant splinter]

almost looks like the San Felipe are is getting some rain

[RynSmith]

Hey Mesquite - if it does end up being a good year, will there be anything left the first week of April?

[mesquite buckeye]

Desert Mariposa lilies. Prettiest flower you have ever seen. ;D

They say it is blooming in the Tucson Mountains right now, but those annuals will be long done by then unless the rain comes back. Mariposa lilies are perennial and reliable with deep moisture, which we have had. If you come, I can get you some localities to see them.

[mesquite buckeye]

almost looks like the San Felipe are is getting some rain

I'm thinking the big mountains down there and the area around them could be pretty good.

[mesquite buckeye]

Rainfall has been sparse since December and the temperatures unusually warm in the desert. Most of the plants are between 3 weeks and one month early this year. The wildflowers are blooming, but the lack of additional rainfall means that they are small and the season will be short, probably ending by the end of March for the annuals without additional rain, which is looking more and more unlikely. I will post again if we get more rain, but if you want to see wildflowers in the desert, better come within the next month.

[sawguy21]

We were in your neighborhood a couple of years ago, the desert is a fascinating place. The spring flowers would be something to see.

[SwampDonkey]

You do know that the far north is almost arid, only thing different is the cold. The flowers in the first picture remind me very much of the blooming tundra. 

[Den Socling]

We've got to spend a couple weeks in the Phoenix area in the next few weeks. I'm sure it will be beautiful in spots. Those suburbanites dump water like they had an endless supply.

[mesquite buckeye]

Took a few pictures out at the ranch of some wildflowers. Sorry they are not more fabulous, but we are behind on the saguaros.

 
Mexican goldpoppies growing with in the saguaro field.




 
Phacelia




 
Desert Chicory or Tackstem (you can tell from some little tack shaped hairs on the tackstem, didn't have time to ck) on the right, Chaenactis on the left.




 
Another patch, same thing.

I'll try to get some more nxt week when I get back out there. We are getting rain right now, if substantial, will keep the wildflowers alive and let them grow bigger. Let's hope. I will keep you posted.