In recent years, California has been treated to stunning displays of wildflowers each spring, often referred to as superblooms — though technically the term is more specifically used to refer to large-scale blooms after years of dry conditions and a wet winter force long-dormant seeds to burst to colorful life. In San Luis Obispo County, the 2023 Carrizo Plain superbloom was so large it could be seen from space. Last year saw a somewhat smaller, yet still eye-catching local bloom. This year, however, it’s looking like a lack of rain might stave off any sort of massive show. According to (Carrizo Plain Conservancy President Neil Havlik), only about 3 inches of rain have fallen on the Carrizo Plain area this season so far, leaving the national monument with “very little grass and no evidence of any kind of wildflower bloom.”