GOOD NEWS: Wildflowers sweep across California after years of drought

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The appearance of flowers often signals the onset of the spring season as nature reveals new life after the dormancy of a cold winter. This year however, an unusually spectacular floral display is lifting spirits.

The weather in California over the past several years has simply been disastrous. It has been called a mega drought, a relentless dry period. Virtually no significant rain or snow for years.

The toll has been heavy on the land and its disappearing reservoirs and has weighted heavily on the lives of people living in the region.

That all changed over the last several months.

“We definitely had a lot of snow so the snow is above average at this time. So all out of that has definitely helped the state and recoup and move out of that drought stage,” said Jorge Moreno, California Parks Information Officer.

The weather pattern finally turned, shifting from seemingly eons of dryness to the arrival of frequent and monumentally wet systems.

Barren mountain-scapes just months ago are now absolutely buried beneath record amounts of snowfall. Dried up rivers and lakes are full once again and even over spilling banks in many palces.

The region is simply refreshed and alive once again and this year, there is an exciting bonus.

“We get these good years where we get a lot of rain in those areas and then you get this sort of carpeted, you know desert landscapes that get tons of flowers happening,” continues Moreno.

Landscapes that were dead and desolate for so long, are now bursting forth with life and color as a prolific crop of wildflowers sweeps across the terrain.

“When you drive out there, you kind of just see the colors carpeting, just kind of like a sea of different colors that are out there,” said Moreno.

The earth and its flora are not the only things that have been revived.

“People were definitely excited to go out and see this, you know, nature at its finest when they give this rare, you know these don’t happen every year,” says Moreno.

Nature’s show of rejuvenation after a lengthy period of dying and withering away is simply inspiring and refreshing to the soul. The super bloom of flowers this year represents fulfillment of hope and faith as new life and new beginnings replace the desperation of scorched and exhausted land.

It’s as if a long standing promise was made good and flowers were sent to emphasize it. It is certainly some good news.

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