Death Valley experiences a ‘1,000 year’ rain event, National Weather Service says
(CNN) – California’s Death Valley experienced widespread damage after it got nearly a year’s worth of rainfall over just three hours Friday.
Images taken by a European Space Agency Satellite before and after the rains show the differences in the landscape.
The enhanced color images use short wave infrared bands to better depict where water gathered.
The National Weather Service said Friday’s 1.47 inches of rain is considered a 1,000-year event, which means there’s a 1.1% chance of it happening in any given year.
Flooding and debris has prompted the closure of all roads in the park.
The National Park Service said many miles of roadway have moderate to severe asphalt damage due to the rains. Hundreds of miles of roadways also have debris on them.
There have been no reports of injuries.
The park superintendent notes Death Valley set a record as the hottest place on Earth in 1913 and is one of the driest places in North America.
He said, with climate change models predicting more frequent and more intense storms, Death Valley is a place where you can observe climate change in action.
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