Bay Area awaits 2024 super bloom after heavy winter rains
SAN JOSE, Calif. - After another winter of heavy rains, the Bay Area is poised for another year of the "super bloom" filled with an abundance of wildflowers and vibrant colors.
The initial signs of this phenomenon are already evident in some Bay Area communities, with more to come.
Santa Teresa County Park, located in Santa Clara County, draws hikers and flower enthusiasts alike during the spring.
Park officials said one reason the park is popular is because it has some of the most diverse soil and rock formations in the county park system, which can accommodate a wide array of wildflowers.
Near the entrance of Santa Teresa County Park, California poppies are already in bloom, hinting at what lies ahead. As visitors venture further into the park, they see beds of mustard flowers that dominate the landscape in certain areas.
In the coming weeks, regular park visitors anticipate an even more vibrant display of colors.
"The more rain the more wildflowers. It just depends on whether the blossoms get knocked off," said visitor Piper McNulty, who used a phone app to identify various flowers during her hike.
"We saw wild mustard, yellow buttercup, baker’s goldfields, yellow crown vetch, sweet alyssum, blue dicks, California buttercup," McNulty said.
Throughout parks and open spaces across the Bay Area, the wildflower bloom promises to be a spectacle. Even though the peak is expected in the coming weeks as the weather continues to warm up.
Therese Divis, who frequents parks around the county with her dogs, said while this year’s peak bloom has yet to arrive, the flowers are always a sight to see.
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"Last year there were a lot of poppies. Like you could stand and the back would be almost orange," Divis said. "The flowers are the silver lining, but the green is what I come for because it is like being in Ireland.
Santa Clara County park officials have developed an interactive map highlighting the best trails for seeing the wildflower bloom.
Visitors are reminded to stay on designated trails, haul out their trash, and refrain from picking wildflowers.