Following a rainy winter that dropped heavy winter snow and rain, areas across the generally desert wide landscapes of the West are suddenly covered in large wildflower blooms.
The severe weather resulted in fatalities, damaged infrastructure, and encouraged an abundance of wildflowers. In Los Angeles, fields of poppies are exploding with brilliant orange blooms, sometimes known as “super blooms.”
After the 2019 bloom, Southern California’s hillsides have not been covered in poppies due to the heat and drought conditions.
According to NASA, California’s famous super blooms are infrequent events that often follow winters with above-average precipitation. They are popular tourist attractions; in fact, one town forbade visitors from entering its bloom fields before the season began.
Where to go to see California’s flowers
This year, visitors can visit several parks to take pictures of the wildflower blooms with the aid of a state website that displays the locations of active blooming. Four locations in the San Francisco Bay Area and seven in Southern California were on the list as of April 3.
For its state parks, California and Arizona both offer up-to-date wildflower reports. While making travel plans, check park websites for more information on flowers, safety advice, and other topics.
