Repeated fall storms led to the temporary lake, known as Lake Manly, appearing in basin 282ft beneath sea level
After record-breaking rains, an ancient lake in Death Valley national park that had vanished has returned to view.
The temporary lake, known informally as Lake Manly, has appeared once more at the bottom of Badwater Basin, which sits 282ft beneath sea level, in California. The basin is the lowest point in North America, according to the National Park Service.
Repeated storms from September through November filled the flat with runoff, forming a thin layer of water. This year’s version is smaller and shallower than the one seen two years prior, when remnants of Hurricane Hilary drenched the area – and briefly even made it possible to kayak there.
The park received in just two months more precipitation than it usually does in an entire year. From September to November, 2.41in of rain fell in Death Valley, according to the National Weather Service. November alone brought 1.76in, surpassing the 1923 record of 1.7in.
