They say the rain caused extensive damage and closed all roads in the park. “The heavy rain that caused the catastrophic flooding in Death Valley was an extremely rare 1,000-year event,” says Daniel Berc, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Las Vegas. “A 1000-year event does not mean that it happens once every 1000 years, but that there is a 0.1% chance of it happening in any given year.” Additionally, many miles of roadway are known to have moderate to severe asphalt damage with hundreds of miles of roadway affected by debris. The condition of the road is still being assessed as damage makes some areas impassable by vehicle. To date, no injuries have been reported to visitors or residents of the park, and people previously sheltering in place have been able to carefully travel through the damaged roads. No park roads are open at this time due to ongoing safety concerns and active roadworks. “Death Valley is an incredible place of extremes,” said park superintendent Mike Reynolds. “It’s the hottest place in the world and the driest place in North America. This week’s 1,000-year flood is another example of this extreme environment. With climate change models predicting more frequent and more intense storms, this is one place to see climate change in action!”
