(CNN) — Because of excessive rainfall in California, a temporary lake is giving folks a rare chance to do some actual kayaking of all things in the driest place in
Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth, is now offering kayaking trips as a lake has formed in the area after Hurricane Hilary hit in August 2023 - the first tropical storm to enter California since 1997
This series of images compares the desert basin before flooding (left) with its more-waterlogged state following each major storm. In both August 2023 (middle) and February 2024 (right), a shallow lake several kilometers across fills in the low-lying salt flat. CREDIT: NASA Earth Observatory(NEW YORK) An ancient lake that reemerged at Death Valley National Park last year will stick around for longer than initially expected now that several rounds of extreme rain have poured through Southern California, according to officials.Death Valley s famed Badwater Basin began filling up with water in August due to heavy precipitation from Hurricane Hilary, which prompted the first tropical storm watch in California state history, Abby Wines, park ranger at Death Valley National Park, told ABC News last month. During that event, more than 2 inches of water fell on Aug. 20 the amount the region typically sees in a year.Park rangers initially estimated that the water filling up several inches i