The rainiest day ever in Death Valley was in August, officials say. What to know

Death Valley National Park in Nevada is known for its extreme heat waves but Aug. 5 has been recorded as the rainiest day in the park’s history.

In a few hours after it started raining, the park “received three-quarters of its annual average rainfall,” causing flash flooding, according to a Sept. 1 news release posted on the park’s website.

The National Weather Service first reported 1.46 inches by automatic gauge but now after park rangers manually recorded the rain fall the measurement has increased to 1.70 inches, according to the release. Death Valley typically gets 2.20 inches of rainfall annually.

This breaks the previous record of 1.47 inches of rain in a single day recorded on April 15, 1988, according to Time.News.

A video on social media shows the flash floods as a result of the record breaking rainfall.

Even four weeks after the flooding park roads remain closed. Park officials urge visitors to “not drive past road closed signs,” especially during the predicted Labor Day weekend heat waves of 120 to 124 degrees, according to the release.

Most of the park does not have cell phone reception, park officials said.

Information on park road status can be found online at: https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

The Federal Highway Administration has awarded a “contract to clear debris and fill in road gaps on several major park roads that are currently closed,” according to the release.

Death Valley National Park is about 120 miles west of Las Vegas

This story was originally published September 2, 2022 at 5:57 PM with the headline "The rainiest day ever in Death Valley was in August, officials say. What to know."