Rain brings 2nd California super bloom in 2 years

It started with the desert lilies in December. Since then a wave of wildflower blooms has been crescendoing across Southern California's Anza-Borrego desert in a burst of color so vivid it can be seen from mountain tops thousands of feet above.

Two years after steady rains followed by warm temperatures caused seeds dormant for decades under the desert floor to burst open and produce a spectacular display dubbed the “super bloom,” another winter soaking this year is expected to create possibly an even better show by Mother Nature.

Having two super blooms in two years is highly unusual. In California, super blooms happen about once in a decade in a given area, and they have been occurring less frequently with the drought.

Wildflowers line a road in California, the U.S. in a rare super bloom. /VCG Photo

Wildflowers line a road in California in a rare super bloom. /VCG Photo

Wildflowers super bloom in California. /VCG Photo

Wildflowers super bloom in California. /VCG Photo

Wildflower super bloom in California. /VCG Photo

The 2017 super bloom was the best seen in the Anza-Borrego desert State Park in 20 years and drew mass crowds to Borrego Springs, a town of 3,500 that abuts the park.

The setting sun lit up the yellow flowers that contrasted sharply against the brown and copper mountains in the background.

There are tapestries of hot pink Bigelow's Monkey Flower, purple Sand Verbena, delicate white and yellow Evening Primrose and of course the desert lilies, which bloomed extremely early, opening up in December, signaling a super bloom was possible.

Bright orange poppies are also blanketing the sides of Southern California highways. So far, six times the amount of rain has fallen in the Anza-Borrego desert this weather season compared to last year.

If the caterpillars and freezing temperatures stay away, the already gorgeous wave of wildflowers could intensify and light up other areas well into spring.

The state park with 640,000 acres (1,000 square miles) is California's largest, with hundreds of species of plants including blazing stars and the tall spiny Ocotillo, which are covered in buds that will open to flaming orange-red flowers.