Park rangers in Death Valley are scratching their heads as to how the desert's phantom lake has persisted for more than half a year — likely its longest lifespan in living memory. A recent rain dump also means that the puzzling pool of water, which normally dries up within weeks of appearing, could remain intact for several more months.
Normally, the lake only lasts for a few weeks because Death Valley's scorching heat causes the water to evaporate faster than any fresh water can be added. Most years, the lake barely forms due to a lack of precipitation: On average, the park receives just 2 inches of rain annually. Over winter, the lake shrank to more than half this size and was just a few inches deep — but it did not completely dissipate."Most of us thought the lake would be gone by October," Death Valley park ranger Abby Wines said in a National Parks Service statement."We were shocked to see it still here after almost six months."
Records aren't normally kept for the size of the lake and how long it has previously lasted, Wines told Live Science in an email. The last time the phantom lake reached a similar maximum size, in 2005, it only lasted for a few weeks before drying up, according to the Earth Observatory. Therefore, the lake's current lifespan is a major anomaly.