Death Valley National Park is well known for its wild weather. It is universally recognized as one of the hottest and driest places on the face of the earth, and as a result of thousands of years of scorching temperatures combined with almost no rain, the landscape has been transformed into something “otherworldly.” For many who visit Death Valley for the first time, they are awed by the sheer expanses of absolutely nothing in some areas, yet only a few miles away you can find plants and animals that have adapted to the environment. At different times of year you can actually find flowers, as well as other species of plants that exist nowhere else on earth. This is why it should be of no surprise that on Monday night the area was hit with a weather phenomena that most people will never get to witness in their entire lives, a microburst.
A microburst is best described as a cloud coming out of nowhere and suddenly dropping its entire water contents at once, combined with wind and lightning. The microburst that hit Death Valley on Monday night clocked winds over 100 miles per hour which were sustained at almost 45 miles per hour during the rain. In Cow Creek the wind blew the roof completely off a 1930’s building that was being used by park officials who had to scramble for cover. In Stovepipe Wells five buildings were damaged and four cars had their windows blown out. In Furnace Creek a palm tree was struck by lightning and burst into flames. All this happened in less than ten minutes before clearing, and happened with little to no warning.
The weather is what created Death Valley, and is the reason why so many tourist come from Las Vegas each and every year to visit. We can assure our patrons who are considering a tour that it is safe, and although strange weather does happen from time to time we are always in contact with the weather services who will help us make decisions as far as the safety of our guests. The best time to visit Death Valley each year is actually now and in the spring time, when the heat is not as intense as it is during the summer yet you can still experience the summer landscape before it transitions over to winter. Book your tour today, and experience one of the most beautiful and unique places on earth that also has some weather that you will never see again….if you are lucky!