(Click/Tap to enlarge for perspective)

Despite Death Valley National Park in California holding the record for being the hottest place on earth at 134F, it also has an ancient lake named Lake Manly that appears rarely after excessive and prolonged rainfall.

The rains caused by 2023’s El Nino event formed the lake last year. The continuation of El Nino rains into 2024 have enabled it to remain and grow, a very rare phenomona. Usually rainfall evaporates in the dessicated desert long before it has a chance to collect.

Here is the lake in March of 2024, with snowy summits,

and salty shores.

Rain is continuing to fall in the desert which is remarkable.

The lake is much, much larger than I expected, approximately 6 miles long and 3 miles wide in places.

Lake Manly is a remnant of an ancient ocean,

and is four x’s saltier than seawater.

It lies in Badwater Basin,

the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level.

Maybe the lake will last until next year which would truly be extraordinary.

Cheers to you from lovely Lake Manly~