"Between 128,000 and 186,000 years ago, when ice covered the Sierra Nevada, a lake 100 miles long and 600 feet deep sat in eastern California in what is now the Mojave Desert. As the climate warmed and the ice retreated, the lake dried up, leaving a white salt pan in its place. But a November of record rainfall has brought the ancient lake, known as Lake Manly, back to life."
"The lake last made an appearance in 2023 after Hurricane Hilary, which degraded to a post-tropical low before reaching Southern California, dumped 2.2 inches of rain on the park and filled the basin. Water levels receded until February 2024, when an atmospheric river dumped an additional 1.5 inches of rain onto the lake, making it deep enough that people could kayak on it."
"As far as lakes go, this one is pretty small and is likely to disappear soon. But it's a marvel to people who live in or visit Death Valley, and a reminder of the extreme weather that has been hitting the area more than 200 feet below sea level. Climate change has been a growing concern. A few years ago, when temperatures approached the 130-degree mark, "heat tourists" flocked to the desert."
Between 128,000 and 186,000 years ago, when ice covered the Sierra Nevada, Lake Manly stretched 100 miles and 600 feet deep in what is now the Mojave Desert. The lake dried as the climate warmed and left a white salt pan. Record November rain refilled the basin, producing a temporary lake framed by snow-capped mountains in Death Valley. The park received 2.41 inches of rain from September to November, including 1.76 inches in November. The basin briefly filled after Hurricane Hilary in 2023 and again after an atmospheric river in February 2024; NASA measured depths between 3 and less than 1.5 feet. The ephemeral waterbody is small and likely to vanish soon while drawing visitors and underscoring extreme weather and climate-change concerns.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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