Looking south from the Quilomene Wildlife Refuge near Vantage Washington in late winter.

Deserts throughout the northern North America have limited water, hot summers, and cold winters. Most of the precipitation that these deserts recieve is during the winter in the form of snow. Although the plants growing in these areas don't benefit while the snow is falling, in spring when the snow melts, the water saturates the ground, making it easy for seeds to germinate and other plants to break thier winter dormancy and start photosyntisizing (in order to photosynthesize and make food for itself, all plants need water for the chemical reaction to occur). Spring is the best time for wildflower watching in northern deserts, as most of the plants seem to be in a hurry to grow and flower and set seed before the heat and dryness of the summer begins.