Wildflowers bloom in California after record drought, in pictures

California has seen a sudden bloom of wildflowers after a record drought that gave way to heavy winter rains, resulting in ideal conditions for the wildflowers to grow. According to the National Park Service, rainfall throughout the winter and spring is essential for a good wildflower year.

Lake Elsinore, 70 miles from downtown Los Angeles, saw a carpet of vivid blooms, mainly orange California poppies, covering the hillside, alongside the busy Interstate 15 highway. People walked the trails, took photographs, rested among the flowers and picked colourful bunches to take home. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 80 miles southeast of Lake Elsinore, is seeing an abundance of wildflowers, according to the park's website. "Plentiful rains in December, January AND February have encouraged the development of a spectacular showing of annual plants," the park's website said.

The winter storms brought relief to most of the region suffering years of worsening record drought conditions though aquifers remain very low and would require many more years of heavier than average rainfall to recharge water tables to pre-drought levels. In this gallery, IBTimesUK presents some of the best photos from the parks across California, who have experienced the sudden bloom: