California
A California superbloom may happen this year – The Points Guy
Thanks to high amounts of winter rainfall, California may be lucky enough to enjoy another superbloom in 2026. Normally, the state only experiences superblooms — rare events in which countless dormant wildflowers bloom simultaneously — once every decade or so. However, there was a superbloom as recently as 2023, and those bright orange blooms might return this year.
Those unusually heavy winter rains may have created ideal conditions for the natural phenomenon in certain Southern California desert areas, according to CBS 8 San Diego. Some of these regions received about 3.5 inches of rain over the two months leading up to January 2026. Typically, the area gets about 5 inches of rain, so it has already received roughly 70% of its annual average.
Where to see the California superbloom
When in bloom, the wildflowers blanket desert landscapes and hillsides in color between March and April. One of the top places to witness these carpets of vibrant flowers will be Death Valley. Toward the end of 2025, the National Weather Service reported that Death Valley had experienced record-breaking rainfall — a good superbloom sign. Some people have already noticed early blooms popping up in the area, which indicates that the ground is ready to produce more expansive wildflower fields.
Blooms have also been spotted in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park near San Diego. Other popular viewing spots in Southern California include Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve, Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve. The 2026 wildflower season is expected to peak from March through April in low-elevation deserts and possibly extend into May and June in places with higher elevations.
The best national parks in California
While superbloom forecasts look the strongest in Southern California, there are still plenty of popular spots for spring wildflower viewing in central and Northern California. Some destinations include Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo County, North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve in Butte County and Mount Diablo State Park in Contra Costa County. Desert areas of neighboring states Nevada and Arizona may also see robust wildflower seasons in spring 2026, depending on the weather.
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What to know when planning your superbloom trip
The outlook may be promising, but keep in mind that hot, dry weather can deter a full superbloom. Temperatures have been higher than average in Southern California over the past month or so, and if things continue this way, it could ruin the expected blooms. Scientists and park officials are monitoring conditions closely to predict blooms.
If the superbloom does occur, visitors and locals alike are sure to flock to the hillsides to see the orange flowers. However, it’s important to visit in a way that respects and sustains the environment so that these flowers can continue blooming far into the future. So, stick to trails, avoid picking flowers and only enter authorized areas.
Bottom line
Hopeful visitors, cross your fingers for rain and cooler temperatures over the next few months. No matter which spot you choose, the California superbloom promises an unforgettable experience for anyone seeking vibrant spring wildflowers.
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California
Northern California county reports measles outbreak with 8 cases
Public health officials say they’ve identified a total of eight measles cases in Shasta County as contact tracing continues.
The cases are linked to one first identified Jan. 30, with Shasta County Health and Human Services officials saying all seven new cases involve close contacts of that person.
Officials noted that the new patients all isolated before they became possibly contagious.
“Our public health teams want to thank the individuals affected, those who were exposed, and our community as a whole for working closely with our staff and following public health guidance. Your quick action and support have helped us manage this outbreak and continue protecting our community,” said Shasta County Public Health Director Katie Cassidy in a statement.
California has seen a total of 17 confirmed measles cases in 2026, with Napa County recently seeing its first case in nearly 15 years.
Across the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control reports a total of 733 confirmed measles cases in 20 states so far in 2026. Along with the more than 2,400 measles cases in 2025, the U.S. is reportedly poised to lose its “measles-free” classification from the Pan American Health Organization.
Contact tracing is still underway in Shasta County for people who may have been in the following areas and times:
-Ninja Coalition, 900 Dana Drive on January 23 from 2:30 to 5:20 p.m.
-An informal, outdoor capture the flag sport event at Highland Neighborhood Park, 555 Mill Valley Parkway, Redding, on January 23 from noon to 4 p.m.
-Osaka Sushi, 1340 Churn Creek Rd., on January 23 from 6:30 to 10 p.m.
-A gym basketball game at the former CrossPointe Community Church, 2960 Hartnell Ave., Redding on January 24 from 1:45 to 5 p.m.
-Costco, 4805 Bechelli Lane, Redding, on January 24 from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
-Churn Creek HealthCare clinic, 3184 Churn Creek Road, Redding, on January 28 from 1:45 to 5 p.m.
California
Judge blocks California mask ban for federal agents
Trump on immigration: ‘We can use a little bit of a softer touch’
In an interview with NBC News, President Donald Trump said his administration “can use a little bit of a softer touch” when it comes to immigration.
A federal judge has blocked California from enforcing a new law that would ban federal immigration agents and other law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings.
The Department of Justice sued to strike down the ban in November after it was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September. In a ruling on Feb. 9, U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder preliminarily struck down the law and upheld another California law that requires federal officers to display their identification while performing their official duties.
The Trump administration hailed the ruling as a win, with Attorney General Pam Bondi calling it a “key court victory.” The DOJ argued in the lawsuit that immigration agents “face a real threat of criminal liability from state officials who have made clear their intent to target federal officers and disrupt federal law enforcement activities, including federal immigration enforcement.”
“These federal agents are harassed, doxxed, obstructed, and attacked on a regular basis just for doing their jobs. We have no tolerance for it,” Bondi said in her statement on Feb. 9.
Newsom also counted the ruling to uphold the identification law as “a clear win for the rule of law,” and said “no badge and no name mean no accountability.”
In the ruling, Snyder said that the federal government would likely prove the mask ban to be unconstitutional because it treated state officers differently than federal officers; the law included local law enforcement officers and federal officers but not state officers.
The ruling comes as political tension is heightened over President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement actions in primarily Democratic-led states and cities. Weeks of protests have spread nationally after federal officers fatally shot two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis, where the administration recently announced the departure of hundreds of immigration enforcement personnel. In videos and photos, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agents are routinely seen wearing face coverings while conducting operations, making arrests and clashing with protesters.
Los Angeles has also been a target for enhanced immigration enforcement, which sparked protests that at times turned violent last summer.
Scott Wiener, the state senator who introduced the mask ban, said in a statement that he will introduce new legislation to include state officers, and said the ruling demonstrates that California has the right to block officers from covering their faces if state officers are included.
“Today’s federal court ruling is a huge win: The Court ruled that California has the power to protect our community by banning officers, including federal agents, from wearing masks and thus inflicting terror and shielding themselves from accountability,” Wiener, a Democrat whose area of representation includes San Francisco, said.
“ICE and Border Patrol are covering their faces to maximize their terror campaign and to insulate themselves from accountability. We won’t let them get away with it,” Wiener said.
Contributing: Reuters
California
After US Judge Blocks California’s ICE Mask Ban, Scott Wiener Says He Will Make It Enforceable | KQED
He continued: “People do not want masked law enforcement in their communities, people want to be able to see who is patrolling their communities, people understand that if ICE and any other law enforcement wear ski masks, that creates an atmosphere of impunity and terror, and prevents accountability.”
But it’s not clear if Newsom would sign such a bill. In response to the ruling, his press office wrote on social media, “Mr. Wiener rejected our proposed fixes to his bill — language that was later included in the identification bill the court upheld today. He chose a different approach, and today the court found his approach unlawful.”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi celebrated the ruling on X, calling it “ANOTHER key court victory.”
“Following our arguments, a district court in California BLOCKED the enforcement of a law that would have banned federal agents from wearing masks to protect their identities,” Bondi wrote. “We will continue fighting and winning in court for President Trump’s law-and-order agenda.”
In court on Monday, Snyder dismissed several arguments the Trump administration has made to justify why agents should be allowed to mask.
She noted that there are no federal laws or regulations that require federal law enforcement officers to wear facial coverings or conceal their identity, and “in fact, some federal laws and regulations require visible identification in certain circumstances.”
Historically, she noted, federal officers have not been masked.
Snyder also found that the federal government “has not met its burden to show that enforcement of the challenged provisions … would interfere with or take control of federal law enforcement operations,” — comparing them to traffic laws that dictate how a federal officer may drive on state roads.
And she rejected the argument that bills will put officers at risk of attacks and physical harm, noting that the potential harms cited in court — including doxing, threats and assault — are all crimes themselves.
“A rule that prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks or requires them to have visible identification does not facilitate or enable criminals to harm law enforcement officers,” she wrote. To the contrary, she added later, the “presence of masked and unidentifiable individuals, including law enforcement, is more likely to heighten the sense of insecurity for all.”
And in a clear rebuke to statements made by Vice President JD Vance and others after the Minneapolis shootings, Snyder noted that, “The law is clear that federal officers do not have absolute immunity from state prosecution.”
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