SUPERBLOOM erupts in Death Valley (PHOTOS)

A "superbloom" has erupted in Death Valley. The rare phenomenon occurs only when the right measure of rain and warmth stir millions of flower seeds in the rocky, desert soil of the forbidding valley. Marshall Connolly of Catholic Online made a recent visit and took photos to share.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - Death Valley is a stark, hot, and beautiful place. The colors in the rocks contrast from deep red, to rich browns, to green, and the expansive salt flats, over a hundred feet below sea level, coat the floor of the valley white as snow.

Yesterday, I visited this beautiful location and took some pictures of the flowers there. Although the images are short of studio quality, they are still beautiful to see.

The intense burst of floral activity is called a superbloom and it is a rare event. The last superbloom in Death Valley was observed in 2005.

Conditions must be just right for the superbloom to occur. There must be plentiful rain, followed by warmth that is powerful enough to warm and activate the seeds. With El Nino in full swing, it appears those conditions are just right.

Towards the valley's southern end, the slopes of Death Valley are covered with golden-yellow flowers as far as the eye can see. Alongside the edge of the road, purple flowers are plentiful.

There are hundreds of people viewing the flowers, kids playing along the fringes of the salt flats and lots of photos being taken.

The flowers can be seen along State Route 190, mostly south of the Furnace Creek visitor's center. Some bloom to the north of this point, but not as plentifully as south of Furnace Creek.

We now invite you to check out some of the flowers for yourself.

Visitors can visit Death Valley right now to catch a glimpse of the superbloom. The flowers should remain as long as rain keeps falling across the valley. Visitors should be prepared for warm conditions, in spite of the season.

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