Snow Blankets Joshua Tree National Park
January 13, 2020
Photographer: Keith Skelton
Summary Authors: Keith Skelton; Jim Foster
As shown above, a rare, heavy snow blankets Joshua Tree National Park in southern California. This photo was captured on December 27, 2019. The park’s sturdy Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) seem to struggle under the burden of the snow, which measured nearly one-half foot (15 cm). The specimen in the foreground is perhaps 30 ft (9 m) tall. Even the sky is decorated on this late December day. Stretched out lenticular clouds accent the eye-catching landscape.
Because of the heavy snowfall, most of which occurred on December 26 and was the biggest snowfall in Joshua Tree National Park in at least 9 years, many roads were impassable on the 27th or only opened to vehicles with 4-wheel drive. Nonetheless, visitors who made the effort to get there were thrilled with the winter wonderland that awaited them.
Photo Details: Camera: NIKON D810; Lens: 80-200mm; Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 9.0 (Macintosh); Exposure Time: 0.0013s (1/800); Aperture: ƒ/10.0; ISO equivalent: 100; Focal Length (35mm): 80.